ARRIVAL OF THE "JOHN WESLEY" AND THE "SPORTING LASS." English News to the 15th of February.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIV, Issue 1029, 8 May 1857, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE "JOHN WESLEY" AND THE "SPORTING LASS." English News to the 15th of February.

By the arrival, last evening, of the John Wesley aud Sporting Lass, we are in possession of news from Syduey to the 25th ult., and of English intelligence to the above date. The Great Britain steam ship arrived at Melbourne, on the 20th ult., with 545 passengers, having left Liverpool on the 16th February, and accomplished the passage from anchorage to anchorage in 61 days. She brings news to the above date. She brought duplicates of the advices which should have been brought by the Oneida. They are generally of a favourable character, but the number of vessels loading for these colonies at our last dates leads us to fear that some classes of goods will arrive in excess of demands. Parliament was opened on the 3rd of February by Royal Commission. Both Houses assembled soon after one o'clock, and prayers were read in the Lords by the Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells ; and in the Commons by the Rev. Thomas Gamier, chaplain to the House. Subsequently, the Lords' Commissioner, in their Peers' robes, took their seats on the woolsack at the foot of the thione, and the Usher of the Black Rod was directed to summon the Commons to hear the commission read. In a few minutes the Speaker, attended by the Ser. geant-at-Arms and a large body of members, appeared at the bar in obedience to the summons, and the Commission was read by the Clerk at the table. The Lord Chancellor then read the royal speech, as follows : — My Lords and Gentlemen, We are commanded to assure you thather Majesty has great satisfaction in recurring again to the advice and assistance of her Parliament. We are commanded by her Majesty to inform you that difficulties, which arose in regard to some of the provisions of the Treaty of Paris, delayed th» complete execution of the stipulations of that Treaty. Those difficulties have been overcome in a satisfactory manner, and the intentions of the Treaty have been fully maintained. As insurrectionary movement which took place in September last, in the Swiss canton of Neufchatel, for the purpose of re-establishing in that canton the authority of the King of Prussia as Prince of Neufchatel, led to serious differences between his Prussian Majesty and the Swiss Confederation, threatening at one time to disturb the general peace of Europe. But Her Majesty commands us to inform you that, in concert with her august ally the Emperor of the French, she is endeavouring to bring about an ami .-able settlement of the matters in dispute, and Her Majesty entertains n confident expectation that an honourabl e and arrangement will be concluded. la consequence of certain discussions which took place during the Conferences at Paris, and which are recorded in tl.e protocols that were laid before you, her Majesty and the Emperor of the French caused communications to be made to the Government of the King of the Two Sicilies, for the purpose of inducing him to adopt a course of policy calculated to ayert dangers which might disturb that peace which had been so recently restored to Europe. Her Majesty commands us to inform you that the manner in which those friendly communications were received by his Sicilian Majesty wai such as to lead her Majesty and the Emperi/J" of the French to discontinue their diplomatic relations with his Sicilian Majesty, and they have accordingly withdrawn" their Missions from the Court of Naples. Her Majesty has directed thtt papers relating to this subject shall be laid before you. Her Majesty commands us to inform you that she has been engaged in negociations with the Government of the United States, and also with the Government of Honduras, which she trusts will be successful in removing all ctuse of misunderstanding with respect lo Central America. Her Majesty has concluded a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce with Siam, which will be laid before you. Her Majesty commands us to express to you her regret that the conduct of the Persian Government has led to hostilities between her Majesty and the Shah of Persia. The Persian government, in defiance of repeated warnings, and in violation of it* engagement, has captured the important uity of Herat. We are commanded by her Majesty to inform you that a British naval and military force, despatched from Bombay, has taken possession of the Island of K arrack, and of the town of Bushire, with a view to induce the Shah to accede to the just demands of Her Majesty's Government. Her Majesty has seen with satisfaction that the naval and military forces employed on this occasion have displayed their accustomed gallantry and spirit. > Her Majesty commands us to inform you that acts of violence, insults to the British flag, and infraction of treaty rights, committed by the local Chinese authorities at Canton, and a pertinacious refusal of redress, have rendered it necessary for Her Majesty's officers in China to have recourse to measures of force to obtain satisfaction. Those measures had, up to the date of the last accounts, been taken with great forbearance, but with signal success as regards the conflicts to which they had led. We are commanded to inform you that her Majesty i trusts that the Government of Pekin will see the propriety of affording the satisfaction demanded, and of faithfully fulfilling its treaty engagements. Gentlemen of the House of Common*, Her Majesty has directed the estimates for the ensuing year to be laid before you. They have been prepared with every attention to economy, and with a due regard to the efficient performance of the public service at home and abroad. My Lords and Gentlemen, Her Majesty commands us to inform you that bills will be submitted to your consideration for the consideration and the amendment of important portions of the law ; and her Majesty doubts not that you will give your earnest attention to matters so deeply affecting the interests of all classes of her subjects. Her Majesty commands us to recommend to your consideration the expediency of renewing for a further period the privileges of the Bank of England, the conditions imposed on the issue of bank notes in the United Kingdom, and the state of the law relative to joint-stock banks. Her Majesty commands us to express the gratification which it affords her to witness the gpfttwal wellbeing and contentment of her people, and to find that, notwithstanding the sacrifices unavoidably attendant upon such a war as that which has lately terminated, the resources of the country remain unimpaired, and its productive industry continues unchecked in its course of propres&i \ c de\ clopment. Her Majestj commits with confidence the great interests of the «.ountr> to your wfcdom and care, and she f. ivt .nly prays that the blessing of Almighty God may attend your deliberations, and prosper your councils for the advancement of the welfare and happiness of her loyal and faithful people. At the conclusion of the ceremony both Houses adjourned.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer made his financial statement on the 13th. It was deemed satisfactory. The next sales of Colonial Wool were appointed to commence in London, on the 26th February. The quantity arrived up to this date consists of 25,472 bales, viz: — 4000 Victoria, 4620 Sydney, 200 Tasmania, 800 Adelaide, 15,500 Cape, and 378. New Zealand and Swan River, Good price*, were anticipated. Paris, February 12,— A madman attacked the Empress to-day. He was instantly arrested. No arms were found upon bim. He declared that his intention was merely to embrace her. The Emperor would open in person the legislative session, on the 15th February. The execution of Verger took place on the morning of February 13th, at 8 o'clock, on the Palace de la Roquette. The news generally is unimportant.

From Melbourne we have the following sad tal«lHg«!Cei Monday, 20th April.— The country has been suddenly plunged into sorrow by the death of Lady Barely. After giTing birth to a son 1 , on the 6th instant, her Ladyship suffered from nervous excitement, producing depression of spirits, fits of hysteria and nervous exhaustion, terminating on Friday morning in death, The strongest feelinpf of sympathy with Sir Henry Barkly is everywhere manifested. All places of business were at once partially closed, and people congregated together and spoke iv subdued tones of the loss sustained by the colony, as well as by the husband and family. Lady Barkly has been but little in j public. — the uncertain state of her health prevented it— but the impressions produced on all who have been admilted within the domestic circle, have been of the most endearing kind. The colony sincerely mourns the untimely death of a lady, from the influence of whose genuine, pure, and womanly character, so much good was expected to be effected in the social atpects of colonial society. The funeral is to be a strictly private one, and will take place to-morrow.

From Sydney we learn that Mr. Wetton had been well received. He «nd Mr. Bell met the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, on the 20th ult. Mr. Wetton entered at some length into the views of the Company, and Mr. Bell mentioned the intention of the New Zealand Government to contiibute £15,000 to the £35,000 of New South Wales. The proposition was acceptable ; and the Chamber unanimously passed a resolution that a memorial should be immediately forwarded to his Excellency the Governor, urgently impressing upon him the advisability of this colony acceding without delay to the proposal of the Royal Mail Company, and assigning strong reasons in support of the prayer of the memorial. The date for receiving tenders for a branch steam communicatitn to New Zealand had been extended to the 27th April. The advertisement was issued by Mr. Bell, on behalf of the New Zealand Government.

Last evening, between ten and eleven, the John Wesley, Missionary brig, 236 tons, Captain Birkenshaw, arrived from Sydney, having sailed thence on the 25th ult,, at noon, and having experienced strong northerly gales for the first six days, afterwards three day* of calm, and westerly weather. Yesterday she sighted the Denny, still in the same position. The Gertrude was on the berth, to sail on the 28th. The Sporting Lass was to tail next morning. The Moa was also loading and to sail in the folio ving week. The John Wesley has the following passengers :— Rev. T. Adams, Mrs. Adams and five children, Mrs. Moore and three children, Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Dyson, Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford, Rev. Mr. Hosking. The Wesley has called simply for the purpose of landing Mr. Hosking, and of taking on board Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher. She then proceeds to the Friendly Islands and the Feejees. The Sporting Lass, brig, Captain Celum, came in shortly after the Wesley. She sailed on the 26th (the day after), and experienced the same strong northerly gales, having been near Kaipara on the sixth day. Thence to the North Cape she was three days, off which the Wesley was sighted. The Sporting Lass only brings two steerage passengers, and is not full of cargo. Fears are entertained for the safety of the Bristol schooner. She tailed from Sydney on the 10th April (Good Friday), and was very deep. Severe gales have since been blowing. The St. Kilda, which came in about the tame time, left the Bay on Wednesday evening. She brings the following passengers . — Tamate Walker, Messrs. Hargreaves, Campbell, McMillan, Mrs. aud Miss Leach, Messrs. Spalding, Band, Callaghan, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Brown, Mr. Brown, Mrs, Skinner, and John Callaghan. Her cargo consists of 26 head cattle (shipped at Pahia), 50 bushels apples, 16 kits (80 doz.) smoked fish. Tdutari reports a whaling barque as having arrived at the Bay, on Sunday, and the Osprey as likely to sail for Auckland next Tuesday or Wednesday. The Harkaway and Dinapore were loading for Auckland and' New Plymouth, when the Great Britain sailed.

Potatoes were still on the increase. The price in Sydney, when the brig left, was only £7, but the tendency was decidedly upwards, and it is expected that the price, fey this time, has advanced to £10. Of the Sydney markets, we learn, under date the 25th ullo. , that the flour market remains in the same condition as last week. Stocks of Chilian flour are gradually becoming absorbed, but no fresh sales have taken place this week. Colonial flour is quoted from £16 to £18. A fair supply of wheat has arrived this week, principally from the Manning and Macleay Rivers, but the quality is indifferent, and Adelaide wheat still commands the preference ; good samples of the latter fetch from 6s. 6J. to 7s. 6d., while colonial ranges from ss. 6d. to 6s. 6d. Hay is scarce 1 and dear, and is worth from ss. fid. to 7s. 6d., according to quality. From Adelaide, under dnte 16th ult., we learn that, in anticipation of better rates, shippers from thence have reduced their su- plies by more than two-thirds during the last month. Best brands ot flour are £15 10s.; and secondary, £14 to £14 10s. Wheat is in demand at 6s. for grinding and tor shipment. We have news from Hobart Town to the 14th, and from Launceston to the 15th instant. The 'Advertiser' of the former date reports the Hobart Town markets as follows : — The firmness perceptible in the wheat market yesterday is mainly attributable to the late news from Melbourne, where wheat has advanced in price. The wheat on offer realised 75., with one exception, in which case 7i. 3d. was asked and given. Flour was quoted at £18 by the millers. Potatoes are well supplied, and are saleable, at from £6 10s. to £7. It is believed, however, that owing to the upward tendency of the Melbourne market, higher rates will be yet obtainable. Onions, free from grub and of good quality, are worth from £9 to £10. The 'Examiner' makes the following report of the Launceston markets, under date April 14 : — There has been a limited business doing. Flour has been sold at £13 10s. to £14, bags included,- for shipments to Sydney. Wheat is saleable at 6s. for good samples, but supplies c»me in slowly. Potatoes, prime samples, £7 10s. to £8.