TASMANIA.

Colonist, Issue 43, 19 March 1858, Page 3

TASMANIA.

By way of Sydney we have news !o the 13th Februiry. ' , ' , .

Alluding to the recent disgraceful exhibit'ons in the Assembly, the Daily News remarks: — " We trust that we have had the last of these scenes. We are heartily sick of them. We do not cure by whom they were provoked; it is sufficient for us that they are calculated to inflict not only shame arid disgrace upon our legislature, buffo render it very doubtful whether we are sufficiently ripe for responsible government. In a smail community like this, where neai'ly all our public men are, or have been at some time, acquainted with eich other, personal feeing runs.liigh; and so long as they are imported into our legislature, so long will it be, impossible for1 the affairs of the co'ony to be dUcussed in that calm and statesmanlike manner which their importance demanils." On the sametsubject the Launceston Exami-, ncr a.ddi: —"We scarcely anticipate that Mr. Gregson, senior, will, afer his repeated declarations, apologise to Mr. Balfe, and therefore the. Assembly will be rid of its greatest nuisance." „ ■'.

Submarine Telegr vph between Tasmania and Victoria. —We have leceived two docu-m'r-nts on this subject, hi I on the tab'e of the Assembly by the Colonial Treasurer, and ordcrel to be printed. They consist of a report by Commander Ross, R.N., marine surveyor, of his' i roceedings on board H.M.S. Victoria, whilst determining the different lines of soundings for the prop sed submarine telegraph. The report is addressed to the President of Lands and Works, Melbourne. The other paper is a report from Mr. M'Gowan, the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs in Victoria, relative to Commander Ross' survey, and is addressed to the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, Melbourne. Commander Ross states that he first proceeded to Cape Otway in order to determine the most suitable position for the shore end of the cable on the Victorian side, and found the spot best adapted for that purpose to be a small sandy cove where the river Parker empties itself, and about three-fouiths of a mile to the eastward of Point Franklin. The depth of water within, ffltj yards of the shore wag three and a-half fathoms. He then steered S. 28- 7 E. for the N.W. end of King's Island; a line of soundings shewed the greatest depth to be fifty-five fathoms about the middle of the Straits. The tabular list of soundings appended to the report s) ews that they increased,graclua'ly to the greatest depth, and vice versa; no marked unevenness of the bottom was found, the whole distance being generally composed of sand and shells.. At King's Island, a. small Fandy cove, about one mile ;from the north end of the Island, was found to be peculiarly adapted f< r landing the shore end- of the cable.,, This spot was named Victoria Cove, being the connecting point between Victoria and Tasmania. The position chosen, in order to take the ; cab'e from King's to Hunter's Island, w;is on the east side of the island at a place cal'ed Sea Elephant Bay, inside the Sea Elephant Rocks. From this point a line was sounded (leaving Albatross Island about a mi'e to the eastward) to a smail sandy bay on Hunter Island. The bottom-between this point and Albatross Island was uneven: it consisted of sand and shells. The next line of soundings was then run from the south end of Huntef Island to the main land of Tasmania, about three miles from the northern extreme (Cape Grim). The bottom was found very uneven; varying from, six to fifteen and a half fathoms midway; the places for landing the ends of the cable being on a shelving sandy beach, and the distance across from four to five mites, and bear S. 90 40' \V. Mr. MGowan, jn his report, gives the following distances:—Cape Otway to Victoria Cove, King's Island, forty-nine, miles ; Victo; ia Cove to Sea Elephant Bay (land line), eighteen miles; Sea Elephant Bay to North-west Bight, Hunter's Island, 48 miles j North-west Bight to South Cove (land line), 8 miles; South Cove to Tasmania, 4| miles. Total .127^ miles. The length of cable recommended is

117 miles. Mr. M'Gowan states that the first two sections of the cable might read ly be laid down direct from the ship, aided by good boats at the respective landings; the third would require to be laid from a boat or barge capable of carrying 12 tons, and drawing not over four feet of water. Fin1 the land portion of the lino on King's Island,, there is an abundance of very suitable timber; the clearing required would be considerable.' On Hunter's Island, although sufficient -timber may perhaps be found to cons'ruat the line, the clearing will be cornea'atively trifling. The latter portion "of jthermonth of December is recommended, as the time for laying down the cable.— Launi "heston Examiner,

Curious and, Interestingßelic.—-It will be recollected that,, some tima .ago, the-Rabbi Hyam Zeb'i, a missionary from"the Holy Land, visited this ■ colony for .the purpose of obtaining contributions' in aid of the distressed Jews in Jerusalem. Litters have been received here, announcing the safe return of the Rabbi to the Holy: City,, accompanied by a most interesting and valuable'antique relic in the form of a cup, carved from a ■portkfn of the western wall of Jerusalem, obtained from a spot near the only exisdng remains of that great and grand structure —the Temple of Solomon. The cup! which is beatifully -.polished, has been presented to 'Samuel Moses, Esq., as1 the'head of the synagogue here, and round the rim: is an inscription in Hebrew, which has been thus translated :—*'A present of remembrance, the love of Zion, and respect to Samuel Moses, Esq." The following inscription-is, also, engraved on the stand :— "From us,-.the leaders of the .congregation, Habad,; the citizens of Jerusalem, and from Rabbi Hyam Zebi." : The word Habad, we raay^ observe, is composed of three Hebrew letters, s;gnifying "wisdom, knowledge,"and .understanding." The cup,/we have alreadysaid, is beautifully polished,, and carved: the carving reprefeats the fol'owing objects, which must be highly-, mrerestrng, from their solemn. antiquity, to the ancient people: the Tower of David; the Cqllege of .^ho Western Wall; the Palace of David; the Grave of ■Zaehariah the Prophet', and Rachel our Mother, \A3 a work

of art, and Laving jbeen entirely, manufactured at Jerusalem, and from materials so ancient and sacred, it is perfectly unique, and indeed invaluable, constituting a most interesting addition to the already recherche collection of the fortunate possessor. We may add, that the Hlera'ity of the' contributors in Hobart Town is highly^ appreciated by their brethren in the Holy .City. —//. T. Mercury.

The Unsettled Lands Bill has been fuither considered iii committee. Mr. Allison's-'.mo-tion " that the lard be leased for fourteen years ceitain in lots from 1000 to 10,000 acres, at ;£1 per 1000 acres, the lessee to have one right of selection in one lot at the rate of 100 acres for each 1000 acre?, at ten shillings per acre, with eight years'credit iv equal in-'tal-ments " —was negatived. Several clauses were amended, and tho third reading was fixed for Saturday, the 13th instant

It appears that about two millions of acres of Crown knl are held under pasturage licenses, and as the terra of ten years —on which it was the understanding'with Government the leases wera originally granted, have now expired, and as in some cases miles of fencing have been burnt down on these runs, the lessees were naturally anxiom to know the Government intentions as to continuing the leases, before they incurred the expanse of repairing this damage. Mr. Allison, having asked a question on this subject, was informed by Mr. Smith that it was the intern i>n of the ; to grant *■ annual licenses to, the present lessees, for the next ten years—unless -any portion of the lan I was required for lale-^-in which case they .would give the lessees sii months' notice. This assurance, observes; the Advertiser, will relieve much anxiety, and remove much uncertainty amongst the flock-owners of the island.

The Mercury states that Colonel Robbins, who.has arrived in the co'ony for ihe purpose of purchasing artillery and cavalry horses for the use. of the army'in India, has succeeded in procuring about a hundre.l, of which he highly approves, as admirably adapted for the purposes for which they are required.