West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MAY 19, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 208, 19 May 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MAY 19, 1866.

A day singularly destitute of news of any local interest, has hcen relieved by an important telegraphic message from our Bluff correspondent, furnishiug us with the latest phase of the political situation in Victoria. Wo withhold leading matter^ in order to givo place to Intercolonial intelligence, and to letters which have been standing in type.

A packor, who arrived in town last night from tho Waimca, informed us that early yesterday a number of miners started off without their swngs, to a now rush situate two lmlos beyond Independent Hill. O-old was found in payablo quantities j tho sinking is shallow, and yielded 1 dwt. to tho dish. A great many chums had been peggod'ofl', tho men returning in tho afternoon for their svrngs and touts, with tho intention of working tho ground permanently. Several storekeepers wore preparing to romove to tho new field. Our informant was to loavo at daylight this morning, to pack stores from the Waimea to tho rush. Wo obsorvo that tho Electric Tolograph Office in Sowoll-stroet, which is quito inadequate to tho amount of businoss daily transacted thoro, is being enlarged by tho addition' of an oxtra building. Wo understand that tho object of tho enlargement is to provido accommodation for tho instruments and operator connected with tho working of tho Groy River lino, which is oxpectod to bo opon in a few days. Tho Sea of leo was repeated last night at tho Princo of Wales Opera House, and was received with equal applause as on tho occasion of its first production. Tho actors were evidently bettor up in their respective parts, and tho scenery — which is on a most effeotivo and gigantic seale — workocl much moro smoothly, As a work of literary merit, there is very little to commend in tho drama j tho author has contented himself with olovorly stringing togothor a few thrilling incidonts, and has evidently writton rather for tho seono painter and tho mechanist than his own literary roputation. Thoro are, howover. many points in tho dialoguo and skotchos of character introduced whioh prove boyond a doubt that ho is capable of bettor things. Tho curtain rises on a woll«arrangod scone, tho main deck of tho Urania ; and wo aro introduced to tho principal personages of tho drama ; Carlos, the adventurer (Jfr Jnmos Bartlett), Captain do Lascours (Mr Burford), Jean Medoc (Mr J. F. Streoton), Barabas (Mr Andrews), aud Louiso do Lascours, Miss Rosa Cooper, In this scone wo have tho first instalment of tho sonsational clement with which tho drama abounds. Tho portontious warning from an infuriated and brutalisod crow as thoy roject their rations and refused

to rospond to tho cry of " Long livo the Captain !" paves tho way to a mutiny on which hinges all tho plot, which, by the way, is too longthy and involved to givo in detail. Tho great effect in act 2 is tho representation of tho " Soaof Ico," occupying tho cntiro stage' It is, to speak truly, a perfect triumph of scenic and mochanical art — a moro thrilling and porfect realisation of tho breaking up of tho ico, has novorboforo bcon witnossed in tho Southern HomUphoro. Of tho acting, wo desiro to spoak most highly. Mr Bartlott, as tho adventurer " Carlos," played with tho oaso and dush which mark all this gontloman's impersonations. Nothing could exceed tho careful manner in which ho sustained tho part throughout. Whether in tho highor walks of tho drama, as tho acoomplishod Mercutio, or tho villain of melodrama, Mr Burtlett scorns equally at homo. Mr Burfoad played carefully, as Captain do Lascours, and tho Bamo may bo Baid of tho Mocloc of Mr Streoton. Wo need only say that tho part of Barabas was in tho hands of Mr. Andrews, and that it would havo been impossiblo for tho inanagomont to havo placod it in bottor. Miss Rosa Cooper, as Louiso do Lascours, had oxactly 0110 of thoso parts for which sho is bo admirably adapted. , Hor cxprossivo dumb bliow and simulatocl taciturnity — tho mothor'B love — tho frantic appeal to Heaven for aid, as sho fools tho ico breaking beneath her — were most thrilling in thoir effect upon the audionco, and a porfect mastorpicco of histrionic ability. Mrs Crosby had a small part to play, but sho played it well, as sho always does. Mr. Gcorgo Cooper, tho mechanist, is to bo congratulated upon tho exceedingly clovor effects ho hae introducoed into tho picoo. Tho same bill will bo ropcated tliis ovening, and wo would strongly urgo our roadors not to loso an opportunity of witnessing, for tho last time, one of tho most thrilling picco3 yet produced horo. On Monday " Juno Shoro " will bo producod.

For soino time past it has boon well-known to tho polico hero that a number of tho Sydney bushranging fraternity havo beon resident hi our midst, quiotly taking notes of tho general inodo of conducting business in tho town and outlying districts, moro especially that connected with tho purchaso of gold. Gossip says Bomo of tho strangers wore scon oftonor than onco present in tho dress-circlo of tho Princo of Wales Opora House. Of tho mton" tions, howovor, of thoso characters, nothing was oxhibited until tho evening of tho 10th instant, when tho startliug discovery was made that between tho hours of eight and ton» tho officers' quarters at tho camp had been ontorod by 0110 or a gang of daring thieves, and tho following articles carried off,: — 1 cross belt and pouch, 1 largo size Colt's revolver, 1 small rovolvor, 1 patent leather caso for rovolver, 2 lnrgo uizo Doan and Adams' revolvers, 2 plain, leather caso3 for revolvers, 1 pair Bedford cord pants, 1 sot sword slings. Tho rovolvera and bolts were taken out of tho mounted constables' room, and tho pants out of a framed tent, which is used as a wnshhouso. As soon as the robbery bocamo known, immediate inquiries wore set on foot to find if any strangers had been scon within tho Camp Rcsorro during tho evening, without, howovor, procuring any oluo to tho manner in which tho daring act was accomplished. That it must havo bcon dono by men possessed of courage, men acoustomod to soizo an opportunity at whatever risks in ordor to furthor their own ends — and prepared at all times to meet sudden danger with deliberate boldness — is but too apparent from all tho circumstances of tho easo. Tho room from which tho weapons were abstracted is situate in a quadrunglc, composed of small wooden buildings, whoso doors opon upon tho court, and in which membors of tho forco aro prosont at nearly ovcry minute of tho day and night. Furthor, theso rooms aro seldom without a light burning and tho officers present. Yet evidently theso precautions ■were omitted during some portion of tho ovoning of tho 10th, and it is also ovident that thovo wore lissom fingors and cool heads close at hand waiting to nmko tho most of thoir opportunity. Prompt and onorgctio moasuros wo need hardly say woro adopted by Sorgoant Hickson. What thoso stops wore, howovor, or how far tho result will be to nip in the bud tho concerted plans of tho raodorn froobootors, wo aro unablo for tho prosont to say. That a portion of tho stolon property has beon rocovered — that oho or two of a gang implicated in tho transaction aro in custody, and that tho polico aro on tho tracks of tho romaiudor, is, besides what wo havo given, tho total amount of authontic information wo can furnish to our roadors. To our repeated enquirios tho reply has been vouchsafed to vs — that tho ends of justice may bo defeated by any furthor details appearing for a fow days at loast in tho public prints. AVo may roinark to our roadcrs in explanation why no earlier jiotico of this mattor has appoarod in our columns, that tko samo reason furnished above lias provonted us recording thoso particulars whioh wo tako this tho oarliost opportunity of doing. In couolud* ing our statoinont, wo mako no remarks on tho subject for tho presont furthor than to impress on bankers and gold-buyirs tho necossity of rodoublod caution in all thoir proceedings. "Wo may draw tho attontion of property speculators to the great demand that at presont exists for houso accommodation. Two* roomed cottages, wo loam, aro lotting at from fifteen shillings to twonty-fiyo shillings per weok, and four-roomed dwellings, in convo* nient situations, at doublo thoso rates. When it is bomo in mind that taxes of overy description aro unknown, and a great many of the owners of such domiciles havo paid nothing for tho land on which thoy havo built, tho profits accruing must bo very considerable indeed. It is a mattor of sui'priso that tonautablo cottages aro not built in groator plonty.

A True Ant. — •" Mother, you must'nt whip mo for running away from school any more. — "Why?" — "Bocausomy sohool book says that ' ants' are tho most industrious beings in tho world ; and ain't I a tru-ant ?" SoiiOMON's RionEs. — " Ma," said an intelligent, thoughtful boyofnino, "I dont think Solomon was as rich as they say ho was." — " Why, my dear, what could havo put that in your head P" asked tho astonished mother. — " Because tho biblo says ho slept with his fathers ; and I think if he had boon so rich ho WQuld. havo hud a bod of hjs own, 1 '