The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-07-23 00:00:00

NEW SOUTH WALES.

We extract the following from the Sydney papers with
which we have been favoured, and which we acknowledged
in our last :

THE DROUGHT.
(From the Sydney Monitor of March 22.)
The following notices of the weather and consequent state
of the country tally with our private letters :
A. number of cattle are daily found drowned in Hunter's
River ; these accidents are occasioned by the scarcity of
water—the settlers on some part of the navigable portion of
its banks are compelled to go twenty miles to procure fresh
water for the use of their families.—Australian.

A correspondent has favoured us with the following ex-
tracts of a letter received by him from Port Phillip, dated
March 3d :—" The country is altered much for the worse
since you left, and a greater part of the journey we were com-
pelled to take a different route for want of food and water ;
nearly all the grass that had escaped the general destruction,
is now burnt, and we experienced great difficulties in procur-
ing sufficient for the cattle. At present both the Rivers
Hume and Ovens cease to run at the well-known crossiii
places
The whole of Faithfull's, Chisholm's, and the other runs ad-
jacent to ours, are:burnt up ; the only bite that is left us now
is in the large flat between the two rivers, and that we have
pretty well reduced already, and which would have been to-
tally destroyed had we not exerted ourselves day and night.
If no rain falls before the frost sets in, God help the poor
sheep and cattle,-for they must starve.- *
On our road we stopped at the Honeysuckle Creek, where
the-Blacks were encamped in great numbers, but there were
too many of us for them to chance making an attack, or in
any way to molest us ; for, beside our own party, Mr. Bow-
man's drays and fourteen of his men were with us, or else I
am certain we should have been rushed, for they encamped
near us for several nights.
The Blacks have killed forty head of cattle belonging to
Mr. Faithfull, and thirty-six sheep of Colonel White's since
you left. You may expect to hear shortly of sonde wild work
taking place here, the Blacks so continually encamping near
us. *‘
The cattle were all mixed together, but are now wildly stray-
ing all over this part of the country, in small mobs. We
had a good deal of rain last night, which had the good effect
of cooling the ground ; but to-day it is scorching hot."—Aus-
tralian.

We learn from our correspondent that the maize crops are
a total failure in both the upper and lower districts of Hun-
ter's River ; a few persons who cropped their lagoons have
an average crop. Ten shillings a bushel has been offered on
the spot, for any quantity.—Australian.
Extract of a letter from Patersod, Hunter's River, March
15th, 1839 :—" The country here is in a most deplorable
state for want of rain: there will. be no maize, and very little
tobacco in the neighbourhood. God knows what will become
of us all, if some change do not take place very soon."—
Herald.

INCREASE OF SHEEP.
(From the Sydney Herald of March 20.)
We have seen and probably printed, various calulations
touching the increase of sheep. We take, however, the facts
which we have this day the pleasure of communicating to our
readers, as a much more important and substantial proof of
what can be done in our splendid country with care and
attention.

Early in April last, Mr. Robert R. Leake. a young gentle-
man well instructed in pastoral affairs, and formerly employed
by the South Australian Company (whose service he says he
left in disgust), landed in the province 390 ewes and 10 rams.
The dropping of lambs unfortunately commenced immediately
after landing, and while the ewes were suffering from the
effects of the voyage, so that a considerable number were
lost. The produce, however, of the flock on the Ist of June
amounted LO 351 lambs. On the Ist of January last the
same ewes lambed the second time, and the produce were 306
lambs : making the increase of Mr. Leake's flocks as under :
May 1. original flock, ewes and rams 400
June 1, increase, lambs 351
Jan. 1, 1839, increase, lambs 657
Actual increase within seven months 657

Total flock on the 13th Jan. last

The lambs of the first dropping in the colony will produce
in August next, along with the imported ewes, and Mr.
Leake calculates that his increase of lambs upon the whole
flock during that month will amount to 540, which, added to
the present flock of 1057 shows an increase upon the original
importation of 400, of one thousand one hundred and ninety-
seven within little more than sixteen months ! Truly it is not
surprising that sheep farming should be eagerly pursuz.d.
THE BARQUE " CHILDREN."—We regret to learn that
this vessel was lost near Cape Nelson, and that the captain
and eighteen of the crew and passengers were drowned. It
is however with sincere pleasure we announce that our es-
teemed friend, Mr. Samuel Bryan, has escaped; and that
although severely injured in the leg, he will yet be restored
to his family and to usefulness. We have been favoured with
the following extract of a letter from Lewis W. Giles, Esq.,
of Launceston, dated February 19, to his brother the Colonial
Treasurer We have just received news of the total wreck
of the Children for South Australia, with 140 sheep, on ac-
count of Samuel Bryan and Henty • the former was on board
and narrowly escaped wiih his life, ,Master and eighteen
others drowned. The vessel went to pieces in twenty minutes
after she struck."

PORT PHILIP.
(From the Sydney Herald of March 20)
We have received Port Philip papers to the 2nd instant,
from which we give the following extracts :
W. Furlonge, Esq., has imported from Van Diemen's
Land, sheep to the amount of six thousand ; we understand
four thousand more will be brought over in the early part of
next season. His stock, from letters we have had the plea-
sure of perusing, are of the pure unmixed Saxony breed,
have always been kept apart from other flocks, and are bred
from a stock originally imported direct from Saxony by the
proprietor. For length of staple and quantity; the best judges
have given it as their opinion the wool of these sheep stands
unparalleled in Australia Felix.
Every day supplies fresh food to our craving appetite for
distinction in enterprise. A few months since a steamer for
the first time sent its jet of smoke in the air; as the strange
little craft plied up the river. Now we have a mail convey-
ance about to be established by Mr. Wright, between Mel-
bourne and Geelong ; it will run a distance weekly, and as a
regular matter-of-fact occurrence, at the moment when the
people of a colony in South Australia, have discovered a
fresh water river at only the same distance from their capital.

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.
(From the Sydney Herald of March 18.)
We have received Hobart Town papers to the sth instant,
from which we make the following summary :
It is intended to erect forthwith an extensive fortification
on Macquarie Point, and excavations have been commenced
for that purpose.

Captain gwanston's Company have purchased, at the re-
cent sales, the territory they occupied at Port Philip, between
the two rivers debotiching on the port. The quantity ex-
ceeded sixteen thousand acres—the purchase amounting to
about £9,000.

•
It is rumoured that the ship James is chartered by Van
Diemen's Land government, by direction of the British ad-
ministration, for some purpose connected with the talked-of
colonization of New Zealand, and that Lady Franklin will
avail herself of this opportunity to visit the interesting islands
of New Zealand. Wedid not hear stated by whom her lady-
ship is to be accompanied, but most probably Captain and
Mrs. King, with the ladies of Government-house, will form
the party, if indeed,any such is contemplated, of which, as
we have above stated, we know only by rumour.
We have received this morning, via Launceston, the South-
ern Australian, of the 6th and 13th February, from which we
have only room to select the following :
The barbue Platina, Captain Wellbank, arrived at Adelaide
from London on the 9th February.
Heavy complaints were made of the wretched state of the
water obtained from the river. and the origin of the dysen-
tery pfevailing there, was attributed to this cause.

The 21b loaf had fallen from 9d. down to 63t1. The aver-
age price of ewes at Adelaide was 355. ; flour 325. per 1001bs. ;
potatoes 12s. to 15s. per cwt. ; salt butter 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6d.,
and cheese Is. Id. to Is. 4d. perlb.—Colonial Times, March 5.
A considerable rise in the price of wheat was anticipated.
THE MAaiETs.—Wheat still rises. It is purchased
readily for New South Wales at 9s. 6d., although the Sydney
Journals quote the prices under that rate. Other articles as
before. The following is the market article of the Cornwall
Chronicle:—" The demand for Sydney, and on speculation
during the past week has been considerable, and raised our
prices of wheat fully one shilling per bushel. In flour, the
trade remains steady at a proportionate advance. heat
7s. 6d. to 9s. 6d. per 6Olbs. Flour, first quality, £25, seconds,
£23, ration, £2O per 2,000 lbs.
There is nothing else of any local interest in the papers.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
(From the Sydney Gazette of March 19.)
By the recent arrivals the South Australian journals to the
20th ult. haue come to hand. Below we publish a few of the
most interesting extracts.
The new Colony is suffering dreadfully from the drought,
and dysentery to a great extent prevails among the inhabitants,
owing, it is said, to the wretched state of water. The state of
the river from which the town is supplied with water, is thus
described in The Southern Australian :—" The state of the
river at present is perfectly disgusting, and the people should
recollect that in drinking its waters just now, they drink in
the essence of all nastiness and filth, which, stagnating in the
pools of the river, engender insects and vermin abominable
to think of." So much for the flourishing town of Adelaide.
Sydney, even during the four years drought, was never redu-
ced to such a pass as this. At the worst, the water has al-
ways been pure, if it has, sometimes, not been over-abundant.
The recent arrivals have brought the dates of our Hobart
Town intelligence up to the Bth inst. We are also in posses-
sion of Port Philip papers to the 6th inst., but our already
crowded space will not admit of our extracting from either
iu our present number. In our next we must make up for
the deficiency.
From Van Dieman's Land the only important news is, that
Mr. Alfred Stephen had received, and had resolved upon,
accepting the invitation to the vacant seat on our Bench.—
Wheat is quoted in the latest papers at from 9s. 6d. to 10s.
pea bushgl. Flour, fine, at £2B ; .second, £26 per ton.
(Prom the Sydney Gazette, of March 23d.)
MELBOURNE.—In August, 1835, a selection of land was
made, upon which stands the town of Melbourne; but it was
not till June, 1837, that any of the land became the property
of individuals. From the latter date to January, 1838, a
period only of one year and seven months (where all before
was a forest, or an uncultivated waste).there has arisen a large
town, not a town of mere huts and weather-boarded houses,
but in a great many instances, of good, substantial brick
houses, with most excellent stone foundations, at the sight
of which every new comer is perfectly astonished. In the
months of June and November, 1837, Government put up
and sold by Auction at Melbourne 148 allotments of land,
each containing 76 perches; the whole being 87 acres and 64
perches. These sales realised the sum of £7,032 upon these
184 allotments, there have been erected (up to the time of
our calculation) 277 houses and stores, which have cost in
building, in round numbers, about £65,000, making a total
of £72,032, expended by residents and non-residents upon
the town of Melbourne alone. To the above we must make
two more additions ; the shipping and boats belonging to the
town we estimate at £lo,ooo—we now this is a low calcula-
tion, but then we prefer being under than over in our state-
ments. Then there are the stores and furniture, &c., which
if fairly valued we think would exceed £lOO,OOO, thus mak-
ing £182,032, as being the valuation of capital immediately
connected with the town of Melbourne, and nearly all ex-
pended within the short space of twenty months, But we
must now proceed-to another statement we have taken no
small pains to ascertain, the number of sheep and cattle, and
the number of owners to whom they belong, and who are
now located on the different stations, or sheep and cattle runs
of Australia Felix. We find the number of stock owners to
be about 150, many of whom possess from 5,000 to 20,000
sheep each ; or large herds of very fine cattle. The number
of sheep is estimated at 350,000, the number of cattle at
14,000 • there are also several hundreds of excellent horses.
The value of sheep and sheep stations we estimate at £500,000.
Cattle and cattle stations at £112,000. Horses, £12,000.
To speak of sheep alone, the number we have mentioned will
give an average to each stock owner of a little more than
2333, or an average of value to, each of £3,666 13s. 4d.—
Port Phillip Patriot, Feb. 27.

BEES.—A hive of bees, the property of Abraham Hodgson,
of Oatland Cottage, near Armuthwaite, has cast no less than
four times in the course of fourteen days ; the first cast took
place on the 20th of June, and the whole of th' swarms,
which have been safely hived, are strong and healthy ; the
first east at this time contains upwards a 20159. of
hquey,ft—ClirMe PornstrlC