Colonial News.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XV, Issue 70, 29 November 1856, Page 3

Colonial News.

GENERAL SUMMARY.

[From the Wellington Independent, November 22.] ARRIVAL OF THE "GIL BLAS." AUSTRALIAN

NEWS TO lOTH NOVEMBER.

The regular trader Gil Bias arrived in port on Thursday evening, after a fine run of nine days from Newcastle, with Sydney papers to the 10th instant. We are glad to welcome Captain Small and his vessel back again after her complete overhaul and thorough repair. By means of the Gil Bias, Cheetah, William Alfred, and Lady Grey, all hailing from Wellington, in addition to others owned elsewhere, our trade with Sydney is likely to continue to be regular, and our means of communication more and more frequent. The mails of the sth and 20th August are on board the Dart, sailing previously to the Gil Bias, and hourly expected.

SYDNEY.

The Coila from Wellington arrived on the Bth November, and the Spray from Nelson on the same day. The Cheetah is advertised in the Herald of the 10th to sail in a few days.

Fearful gales had been experienced on the Australian coast. Several vessels had been lost at Newcastle.

The barque Eleanor Lancaster, loaded with coals for Melbourne, put back to Newcastle on the 6th November. She brought up close to the oyster bank, and in swinging to her anchor tailed on to the shoal and struck heavily. The sea soon made a clean breach over her and raged fearfully, and as there was little probability of saving the vessel the lifeboat was launched with the hope of rescuing the crew ; very liberal promises of reward were made by the agents, in the event of assistance being rendered. The life-boat belonging to the ship Lord Burleigh was promptly equipped to render all possible aid, and the pilot boat immediately started to give assistance to the other vessels whose danger was every moment becoming more imminent. The life-boat started to attempt a communication with the ship, but it proved unsuccessful, and after repeatedly filling with the surf and several oars being lost, it was found to be absolutely necessary to beach her as quickly as possible, which was accomplished without accident. Darkness now set in, and the gale was raging with increased fury without any possible means at hand to succour the unfortunate crew and officers who were thus left to pass the night in a most uneviable position. At day break fresh horrors were added to the scene. The barque had settled down nearly level to the water's edge, but lay apparently steady, the surf rolling over her with great violence, and the seamen could be distinctly seen huddled together in the main rigging. * The life boat could not be launched till after noon, and in passing through the surf, filled and sunk so far that the gunwale was fully a foot under water amidships. She -was then anchored, and in this position remained, with a crew of sixteen hands, upwards of an hour, being at last relieved by a vessel entering the harbour. About three o'clock, a means of communication with the ship was effected by a number boats and lines from the mooring at the entrance of the harbour ; and the surf subsiding with the ebb tide materially added to the feasibility of saving all hands, by means of dropping a boat alongside, with a single individual to steer her by a line from other boats. This was finally carried out, and the feat gallantly performed ; so that late in the evening the welcome report reached the town that every soul on board had been recovered from the ill-fated barque, which now lies as a beacon at the entrance, a sad reminder of the necessity of having means and appliances to save human life and property at this the second port of New South Wales. On the Bth November, a protest was forwarded to England from the Legislative Assembly of Sydney against the separation of the Moreton Bay district from New South Wales, in the manner proposed by the Secretary of State. The reasons for deprecating the severance are sufficietly strong, even if no latent mischief lurks beneath the scheme. But there is a strong suspicion that the most fertile part of the colony is to be torn from it to facilitate a return to transportation. Every post brings some warning notes to awaken vigilance, and to create the deepest anxiety lest v fatal step should be taken before its full consequences are perceived. The Sydney press, with the utmost respect for the royal prerogative, and the deepest interest ia the welfare of England, tenders its most solemn assurance that, if in an evil hour England should listen to insidious counsels, and degrade, corrupt, and burden the colony with British crime — the inevitable consequence of the apprehended scheme — then the prospect of main-

taining relations of cordial affection and obedience between the Australian colonies and the parent state will vanish for ever. The commerce of the colonies with Great Britain has reached the enormous sum of thirty millions per annum. It has attained this point with but little of her fostering care. It is preserved by the habits of friendly communication which must subsist between communities allied in blood, in language, and in religion. Is it worth while for England, for the sake of penal theories, to sacrifice advantages so substantial? We hope that English merchants will watch over the treatment of the Australian colonies, and rescue them from becoming the theatre for the insane projects of Earl Grey, remembering that a criminal class is just as pernicious in Australia as in London, just as unwelcome to an industrious and virtuous colonist as to an English gentleman. The following is the latest commercial record: — The grain and flour markets remain much depressed. The millers' quotations are still £20 to £22, but actual prices are nominal. The prospect of abundance for a long period deters speculative purchases. The only sales reported are portions of damaged Chilian cargoes, but the prices do not indicate the state of the market. It is thought likely that prices will suffer a still further decline. Wheat, 7s. v"d. to Bs.

11. M. S. Juno had arrived at Sydney after a cruise in the South Seas. She reports a disturbance at one of the Fegees, the Mission Station had been attacked by some hostile natives, hut without success. 11.M.5. Herald had fortunately hove in sight the same day and intimidated the natives. Quiet was restored ; three natives had been shot.

Governor Sir Henry Barkley was expected to arrive at Melbourne in the Tribune frigate. This vessel is intended to remain in Australia, and is to be followed by others. No vessel is advertised to follow the Ariel. The Victorian Parliament was to meet on the 21st December.

An awful tragedy had occurred in the 40th Regiment stationed at Melbourne. Ensign Pennefather had shot three of his fellow officers, one of them mortally, and afterwards himself.

Some of the Convicts at Williamstown had attempted to escape — several lives were lost in the attempt to prevent it.

In the Melbourne market, flour is quoted at .£22 ; 300 tons California were sold from £14 10s. to -£16' 10s.; rice, £20 10s., patna ; sugars of all kinds in great demand, Cossipore is held for £03, Ist counter <a 643, and the darker kinds from to ; butter is extremely depressed, good Cork Rose selling for less than 1 Id. ; Scotch oats 6s. 6d., colonial do. 9s. 3d. : potatoes, New Zealand, £2 10s., per ton; Martell's brandy 13s. to 13s. 9d. per gallon.