SYDNEY. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) June 1.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3993, 9 June 1870, Page 5

SYDNEY. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) June 1.

We can stand a good deal of rainy weather in this country, but a spell of three months of it is felt to be more than eventnirsty NewSouth Wales can bear. During this period, the waters have five times invaded the district of the Hunter, and the other river systems of the colony have more than^once been flooded. So universal, and in sonjie parts so high, a flood has not been known |\ere before. i A remarkable thing about it,is thajb, omitting a small corner of Victoria called G-ipp's Land, it was confined altogether within the boundary of New South Wales. While we were being drowned, Victoria was suffering from an extreme drought. In South Australia, the scarcity of water was so great that, in Adelaide, the people were becoming alarmed for their safety ; and even in Tasmania, that little island so favoured by nature, there has been an unusual dryness and absence of verdure. The committees in the various flooded districts will have to be extremely vigilant that no impostors come in for lelief. On former occasions the most scandalous things were done, both through want of care and even of common honesty. People were relieved who had never been touched by the flood. In many instances, persons sold the grain supplied to them for 3owing ; others, again, though they had not been injured, received relief because it was thought they deserved it ; while one man, in particular, boldly came forward for his share who was proved to have £300 in the savings bank. These facts are pretty well known now, and are sure to cause a diminution of future subi scriptions. There is a good deal.jfco be said about the rashness of unthinking people | planting their all upon the river' banks, and I thia in spite of lesson after lesson of severe catastrophes which have befallen them. Even if they risk their crops, why expose their homes ? Besides, they ought by this time to see that, as the floods happen either in autumn or winter, to disregard their periodic occurrence is unpardonable neglect. But the temptation is so great ; bountiful nature has provided such splendid soil, and cultivation I of it is so easy, that all danger, near or distant, is shut out of view ; and, as to accommodation to circumstances, such a thing is out of the question. It is also overlooked that the very thing which tempts these | cultivators to risk so much is the result of I former floods, which, having before deposited the fat alluvium, will come again to restore 1 what the hand of man has taken away. \ At a meeting of the Royal Society a long and discursive, but highly interesting paper was read by our veteran geologist, the .Rev. W. B. Clarke, whose tlieme was, of course, mostly geological ; a great portion of it being occupied with the question of the occurrence of diamonds in diverse formations of the earth's crust. It was natural to dwell much on our own diamonds, and on those of Mudgee in particular, from whioh locality several hundreds have arrived in Sydney during the last year ; but they are nearly all, in common with other precious stones associated with them, of little commercial value, on account of their small size. Quitting the main subject, Mr. Clarke hazarded a hypothesis on the cause of the heavy rainfall in New South Wales. He conjectures that a greab mass of ice has been disengaged from Antarctic shores, and that this, drifting into lower latitudes, has produced a sudden coolness in the atmosphere. But the fact that Victoria and Tasmania, situated further south, have been unusually dry during the same period does not very well square with this idea, while the average temperature has not been low. The annual commemoration at the Sydney University took place a few days ago. It was a splendid opportunity for displaying learning and eloquence j but the address of the Chancellor (the Hon E. Deas Thomson) ■was heavy, and devoid of interest. However, the speech of Dr. Badham, the enthusiastic linguist, was brilliant and full of animation, as his sayings always are ; but hia learning won't save him from being put down as eccentric, when, in the face of the great need for material progress, he would force down our-tb.roa.ts nothing but Greek and Latin as the panacea for all human woea. Sadly does he bewail our dulness for not seeing the hidden wisdom imbedded in classic lore. He says we are fast relapsing into barbarism, and from which nothing cau save us but Greek and Latin. There is no doubt he is most deeply sincere, and his energy is no less remarkable, for, like a prophet in the wilderness, he has been sounding the alarm in the bush as far as Mudgee and elsewhere. But sensible people see very well how absurd all this is ; they also see that science is their best friend. It was announced by the Chancellor that Dr. Thomson, Eeader in Geology, had been elevated to a Professorship. He is the only D. Sc. (Doctor of Science) in the colony, having gone throiigh the formidable curriculum drawn up in 1859 by Dr. Arnotfc for the London University. It was likewise stated that Mr. Andrew Garran, <ne of the chiefs of the Herald's literary staff, and the Rev. John McGibbon, Presbyterian minister, had gained the degree of LL.D. At a meeting of the friends of the late Mr. Plunkett it was determined to send the subscription list round on behalf of his widow, who is represented to be riot quite sound in her mind. Every aspect of this affair is distressing, and certainly humiliating to the friends of the late gentleman, and of the Church of whioh he was so influential a member. There are savages on this coast, only their colour i& white, not black. When the illfated 'Walter Hood,' driven before an easterly gale, was wrecked on the inhospitable shore of Ulladulla, there v/ere miscreants on land who gloated at the idea of spoil. Cultivating the soil is their occupation, but for a time they soon quitted that for what they thought better game. They secured the contents of the spirit- cases as they floated ashore, and for several days the whole neighbourhood was brutally drunk. Mr. C.K. Moore, of this city, had purchased the wreck, and, when he went with his men to secure some portion of it, he discovered the peril to which they were exposed at the hands of the infuriated inhabitants, who had possessed themselves of revolvers. Mr. Moore and his assistants were also nearly starved, since the provisions from the wreck had been appropriated by the freebooters, who fought off the new-comers. A characteristic anecdote is related of a doctor of the districts While one of Mr. Moore's men was standing on the beach, this man slowly walked down from the adjacent bush, and coolly observed, "I believe there has been a wreck in thi^place. " To which the man sarcastically rephod, " I believe there has. " Whereupon the doctor, spying a bottle of brandy which had just then been washed to the beach, picked it up, and, putting it in his pocket, coolly Walked back again to the bush without further notice, Up to this time 39 ii,ches of rain have fallen, the annual average being 50. The weather still continues glqomy and dull ; and, as if in keeping with the weather, trade is likewise dull.

A call of sixpence per share has been, n ade in the Pride of the Karaka Goldmining Company, payable at the company's office, on or before the 22nd instant. " Maravilla Cocoa.— For Breakfast,— The Globe says, "Various importers and manufacturers have attempted to attain a reputation for their prepared Cocoas, but we doubt whether l any thorough ■ success ' had * been achieved until Messrs. Taylor Brothers discovered /the extraordinary -qualities J 6i '.Maravilla ' Coc >a.* j - Adapting the'i^perfect ' system of preparation' * to'- this 'fmesl of all I species -of the Theobroma,- they haye 1 produced an article" which supersedes -every other cocoa in the'market.' 'Entire idlubilityj. a delicate aroma," and a- rare concentratiowof the purest elements- of i nutrition; "distinguish the -Mara villa Cocoa, above 'all others.r ' t'For' Homoeopaths and invalids we could -not '.recommend, a . more- agreeable* > or -.x-alnable' beverage." Sold r in packets < only: by^all 'grocers,.tof^whom alspfmay.be had^T^ylor Brbthers'-Original Homoeopathic Cocoa 1 and Chocolate.* 'v Steam'" 'Mills, 'Brick1 Eane^Londdni-^-fADV.]^ >.- .:*«. <<i - it .vj } r"' -^ ' *Wf '<:•?, s A} r , I~< \ - 'J -;~,