SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 50, 23 June 1858, Page 3

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

[From the Melbourne Age, May 28.] From Adelaide we have papers to the 22nd. The decease of the Adelaide Times and Weekly Despatch newspapers is announced. The last issue of the Times was on the Bth instant. This paper was established by Mr. James Allen about the end of 1848, the Despatch at the beginning of 1853. The pressing demands of creditors have terminated the existence of these journals. The goodwill of the papers, together with the plant, type, &c, are advertised for sale. Another report has been received from Mr. Babbage, who is still at the Beda Spring. The Register has the following summary of the report :—: — The most important labours narrated in the despatch of April 30 are connected with a trip of Mr. Babbage, accompanied by Jones, made on foot, in search of the remains of the unfortunate Coulthard, and also for the purpose of finding an easy dray route tuwards Swindon's Country. The expedition occupied about eleven days; and we regret to say that it was utterly unsuccessful in reference to the firstnamed object. No clue whatever was obtained uo the fate of Mr. Coulthard, nor, we think, ;uiv light whatever thrown upou the mystery of his disappearance. Ihe marvellous circumstances attendant on his final separation from !iis comrades are still unexplained, and indeed inly shrouded in deeper mystery by the facts to which Mr. Babbage reverts.

The rains which have visited the settled portions of the colony have also refreshed Mr. Babbage's route, and will now facilitate his progress. He expects now to be able to use horses in his advanced expeditions, and to move on his main camp with greater ease and rapidity. It may fairly be presumed that the rains which have fallen since the date of Mr. Babbage's despatch, have added considerably to the facilities which the first showers afforded him. Henceforward we may expect to hear no more of baffling obstacles and exhausting privations; the communications, so long as communication is possible, will tell only of accomplished results and of rapid progress. Although heavy dews, cold nights, and hard fare form somewhat too prominent items in the last •accounts from the north, Mr. Babbage's manhood forbids that he should complain of the wet and cold ot that season which enables him to advance with satisfactory speed along the path of his honourable labours. The monotony of the food with which he is now obliged to be content, will be fot gotten in the excitement of constant progression. Perilous Position of the Port. —On Wednesday evening the tide rose to such a height, that a great portion of the port was in imminent danger of being swamped ; but the well-directed efforts of a number of men happily averted the impending catastrophe, and thus prevented an inundation, the effects of which would have been lamentably disastrous. The Intercolonial Telegraph. — Rumours were afloat on Thursday, to the effect that the telegraphic communication between Adelaide and Melbourne had been effected, and that a message of some importance had been transmitted hence. To settle all speculation upon this point, we may slate that it is not expected that any telegraphic communication will take place between the two cities for a few days yet, as the submarine cable crossing the lake, from Mundoo Island to Pelican Point, is understood to have been injured by the blacks. Efforts are being made to discover and repair the injury, and it is hoped that in a short time the Hue will be iv working order. Smuggling Jewellery.—At the Adelaide Police Court, on the 18th, Mark Wolff was charged, on information, by the Collector | of Customs, with landing, on the 18th April, j a quantity of jewellery, from the Burra Burra, i on which the duty had hot been paid or' secured, and whereby he had incurred a penalty of not more than £100, nor less than £20. The defendant pleaded • guilty, and urged in mitigation that he was a Pole, and unacquainted with the South Australian Customs laws ; that in Victoria such articles were admitted duty free; and, as the defendant offended unwittingly, hoped the Court would deal leniently with him. The Court was ol opinion that the defendant's conduct proved he was conscious that he was doing wrong. The sentence was, that he pay a fiuc of £30, and forfeit the goods. Miss Nightingale. —The subjoined letter from Miss Nightingale, addressed to the colonists of South Australia, iv reply to the memorial adopted at the meeting held at Adelaide on the 10th September, 1856, has just been received by the sheriff, Mr. W. R. Boothby, who presided over the meeting alluded to: — London, January 28, 1858. Your words of affectionate sympathy, and the expression of feeling from the gentlemen, colonists of South Australia, which you are so kind as to convey to v", have come home to the hearts of my fellowworkers and myself. We have read your memorinl with grateful pleasure in having been thus remembered by you. It' we have been permitted a little to labour in God'a work, we may not call your kind words our reward, because our Father's work needs no reward; and to soothe such sufferings a3 we saw bravely borne, was a solace which could only make us grateful to be so employed. But this we will say, your words shall cheer us on while life lasts in doing such work as may be yet permitted to us. Since the defence of our trenches before Sebastopol by your countrymen, jou have heard of the defence, as heroic and as suffering, of Lucknow. The first I saw; of the second we have every particular. There is nothing in Homer more heroic than these deeds. Well may we be proud of our race. The country you live in, gentlemen, is indeed part of our well-beloved country and home. England is one i wherever her people dwell. That jour hearts were with us in our struggle, and will be with us always, we know with a gratitude which will not pas 3 away. We can do no more for those who have suffered and died iv their country's service. They need our help no longer. Their spirits are with God who gave them. It remains to us to strive that their sufferings may not have been endured in vain ; to endeavour so to learn from experience as to lessen such sufferings in future by forethought and wise management. God bless you all, we say with all our hearts; and that progress arid happiness in all that is good and true may await the colonists of South Australia, is the fervent prayer of Their obliged and grateful servant, Florence Nightingale. To the Colonists of South Australia.