NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2074, 29 December 1869, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

By the arrival of the English mail, we are in receipt of our English files to the sth November. Wc extract the following items of interest from the European Mail and the Home Hews: — At a meeting of the Committee of Wool Importers, on October 28, resolutions were passed to hold five series of sales next year, in lien of four as heretofore, the dates of commencement to be February 10, April 7, June 16, September 8, and November 17. The importers generally, it is said, have reason to believe that the alteration will be acceptable to their friends in the colonies. The Railway Hews understands that influential parties are engaged in promoting

of ft new line of- commun|> -**■ trade between a North Atlantic port, via the Uiiioa Pacific Railway, to San Francisco, and thence by a new line of steamers to Australia, China, and India. The Great Western have undertaken to afford every facility for the transport over their line of this new and important traffic, Lieut. J. Newton Emra has written to the Standard, volunteering to raise a body of young men—-probably all Wiltshire men, and at least 100 in number—to proceed to New Zealand for whatever military service they may be called upon to perform, provided, of course, that the expenses of voyage and outfit, and regular payment be undertaken; and that he is authorised to hold out such further inducements, guaranteed by the Colonial Government, as may insure their not being disappointed, whatever may be the result of their joining the expedition. The “ Anglo-Australian in London” writes : “The Panama and New Zealand Royal Mail Co.’s steamer Mataura has been purchased by the Turkish Government, and rechristened the Babel. Her old commander, Captain Bird, retains charge of her. “ Since the Suez Canal has been so.successfully completed, the long-projected Darien Canal, to unite the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, has again cropped up. If carried out, and made of sufficient width and depth for large and deeply-laden vessels, it would help to effect a complete revolution in the shipping routes, and aid considerably in increasing the prosperity of the Australian Colonies. “ A new enterprise, just launched—the British Indian Extension Telegraph Com* pany, which is to lay a line from Ceylon to Singapore—will form another link towards telegraphic connection with Australia. The shares have readily been subscribed. They purpose extensions hereafter by the northern route to Brisbane, There is little doubt, therefore, that with all the proposed telegraphic projects, and especially the eastern oceanic scheme, of at once connecting Adelaide with Rangoon, that Australia will era long be brought within telegraphic communication. “ In regard to mining matters, I learn that the shares of the Winter’s Freehold Company are gradually moving off. One great obstacle the agent has to contend with, is the size of the shares, and another the heavy contingent liability remaining. There is, however, a fair tendency to invest in Australian mines, but speculators are exceedingly cautious in investing in undertakings of this nature, of which too much is said in some respects and not enough in others, by way of explanation. The Anglo-Australian Gold Mining Company, of which no one knew anything but what was stated in the prospectus, was launched in a fortnight without any difficulty. As soon as English investors find that returns come in from money already invested, and that the mines are under proper management, probably no difficulty whatever thereafter will be experienced in raising capital for any legitimate schemes. The Auckland, which recently sailed from Gravesend, took out a large quantity of a new kind of machinery for the Thames Quartz Mining Company. Amongst Australian products fast coming into public favor in England, may be mentioned Australian wine; but I must reserve for a future letter a detailed account of its position and prospects in the market. The white wine, from the Auldana vine* yards of South Australia, is in such demand that the supply falls far short of it; aud the red wines from that colony are also be* coming favorites. "I am sorry to learn that the English Company for the formation of a railway in New Zealand from Nelson to Westport and Cobden have met with an unforeseen obstacle to their enterprise, and it seems they will not be able to proceed with it till after the next session of the Colonial Parliament, in consequence of the unfortunate wording of the Act constituting their charter. It is anticipated here, however, that the difficulty which at present stands in the w&y of their procuring the necessary capital will be ere long removed. The Act in question insists upon an average speed for the trains of 16 miles an hour, and thri, considering the sharpness of the curves required by the nature of the country, is stated to be out of the question. “ I see the establishment of a Mint is being mooted in New Zealand. The Patent Plumbago Crucible Company are now executing orders for that at Sydney, and the new one about to be established at Melbourne. “ In regard to the proposal of Mr Westgarth for the registration of bonds, referred to in my last letter, I am told that he recently sent out a short Act of Parliament for submission to the Colonial Legislature, aud that there is no valid reason why the legal difficulties said to be in the way should not be easily got over, so that it is trusted here that the plan will soon be adopted. “There is a great outcry amongst many parties that the Colonies have virtually no representatives in England, that their agents in London are wholly destitute of power, and that it is useless to refer to them in any important business, however pressing, requiring immediate action. There is, no doubt, a certain amount of truth in this allegation. The plan of associating Boards with the Agencies of Victoria aud New South Wales is yet on its trial. Many persons think tha{ their interference should, at all hie limited to financial supervision. There is a good deal of truth in the saying of Sydney Smith, that Boards ‘have neither souls fa save, nor bodies to kick.’ Divided responsibility is, at any. rote in most oases, far. from an advantage. “ Mr Lyster has just returned from Ifaly, where he has been busy' for the last weeks engaging an opera company' for Australia. He pas been Very successful, jmd has reason to congratulate himself op hayjng been able to induce sipgers of such standing as the following to take to long a voyage:—Prima donna, Signora Lucia Haratti; contralto, Signora Luqa Chambers j first tenor, Sig. Mariano Npri; first baritone, Enrico klaji-Oornia j ftat bass, Enrico Dondi, The Prima donna and her father, with the contralto and the baa-j, sailed in the Yorkshire for Melbourne on Nov. I, from Plymouth ; and the tenor and baritone will accompany Mr Lyster in the mail which leaves Marseilles on Dec. 3. The name of Miss Chambers will be well known to the Australian public, and it is some source of congratulation that a native of Tasmania should have taken the high she has in such cities as Milan, Berlin, and Lisbon.”