Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-04-20
To American merchants resident at Shanghai

AUsTRALIA.--The advices from Sydney are
to the 25th Of January, and from Melbourne to
the 30th of the same month.
The constitution act of New South Wales
had passed through committee, and had been
read a third time on the 2lst Of December The
plan of a nominee upper house for life had been
modified to one appointed by the crown for
five years. The council was prorogued on the
I'D Of December till the 7th of February. His
excelency Sir Charles Fitzroy, in his closing
address, expressed his satisfaction that-the act
had been framed with an anxious desire to as
simulate the constitution of the colony, as far as
local circumstances permitted, to that of the
mother country.
The revenue in all its branches continued to
be highly productive. Notwithstanding the in
creased expenditure, and the loss incurred by
the reduction Of the gold-license fee, there was
reason to hope that the receipts would prove
equal to the demands Of the public service.
The Australian steamer had arrived at sgd
ney on the 9th Of January
The executive government had advanced
$4,000 to defray the expense Of sending speci-
mems of Australian productions to the Paris
exhibition Of 1855
There is no intelligence of interest from the
gold fields either of New South Wales or Victo-
ria. In the latter province there had been a
revival of the diggers' agitation against the
gold-license fee and the regulations act; but,
as the plan Of action had not been determined,
the congress that leads the movement had re.
commended the miners to take out their licenses
for the next three months as usual The exper-
iments to test the value of the Second bot
toms" by deep sinking had produced no re-
suits. 1t is stated the trials had not been made
on any proper system.
| The value of the gold exported from Victo-
ria during the year 1853, was about Ella 100000
sterling; from New South Wales f6,000,000,
part of which, it is supposed, had been received
from Victoria. The yield of the New South
Wales fields had been for months decreasing.
Business at Sydney was dull on the 10th Of
January, the market being overstocked by re-
cent large arrivals, particularly of soft goods,
wines, and brandies.
The accounts of the harvest from most of the
districts of the colony we're favorable. The
weather has been unusually rainy for the sea-
SON and the climate.
The works OF the railroad from Sydney to
Paramatta we're progressing rapidly.
The gross revenue of the province of New
South Wales for 1853, was 990S,575 los. ed.
The Sydney banks have agreed to raise the
rates Of discount, which will in future be as fol
lows: Bills, three months and under, 4 per
cent. four months and under, per cent.
above four months, 6 per cent
The proprietors of the bank of New South
Wales have agreed to transfer one-eighth more
of the capital Of the bank to the London share
register.
Accounts had been received Of a considera
BILE reinforcement of the French naval squad
ron in the South Seas. On the 25th Of Janu
airy, business had slightly improved BY the arri
val Of orders from the interior, and from the
impression among the mercantile body tina
there would be for some time suspension 8
extensive shipments of goods from Europe.
The question of railway communication
] throughout the colonywas exciting more atten