TRADE, REVENUE, AND EMIGRATION RETURNS.

West Coast Times, Issue 319, 1 October 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

TRADE, REVENUE, AND EMIGRATION RETURNS.

("FROM THE AEQ-US' TiONBON CORItESPONDENT.)

The Board of Trade returns for themouth and five months ending the 31st May heal 1 evidence of a satisfactory expansion of trade in nil the principal branches. The aggregate exports' of British and Irish ptoduce in the month represented L15,870,134— an increase of L 2,675,373, nearly nineteen per cent., on those of the" corresponding period last year. The articles that have mainly contributed to this are woollens, worsteds, linens, and^more especially cottons, but there is also an increase in many articles of minor importance. -The exports of the five months amount to L 60,0 01,576, against L7B 227,710 iv the corresponding period last year. - The Imports of raw cotton- in the mon'.h how a large increase, as also do those of hides, hemp, wool, copper ore, tl.mr, sugar, tt-a, aud wine ; but there is a decrease in the i:npor f s of cocoa, coffee, and wheat. The imports of gold and silver in. th^ month were -L 3,087,466, and the exports, L 2,091,308. ']

The revenue returns, made up to June 30,-1866, show,a net* decease of 'evenne of L 85,856 on the "quarter, as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1865, and of L 1,862,320, 862,320 on the year. The, items 'on which the decrease has principally taken place are — customs, L 935,000, and income tax, Lr,922,000. This decrease is much less ttuin Mr Gladstone estimated as the result of the reductions of taxation announced in hi 3 bndgejt of 1865 ; and shows in a remarkable degree the continued elasticity of almost every branch of the revenue.

During fho month of June, the emigration from the port of Liverpool showed a considerable decrea«b, owing,- it is stated by the emigration offici;ils,~lo^tliefacrtliat emigrants are staying to assist in the English hay and corn harvests. Under the' act, there sailed to the United States 25 ships, with 8430- steerage ami 321, cabin passenger^ ; to Canada four ships, with 1019 steerage and 93 cabin passengers ;- to Victoria two ships, with 463 passengers ; making a totil of 32 ships and 10,707 passengers. Compared with' the -previous month of May there is a decrease of 6865; Of ships not under the act there sailed 12, with 488 passengers. Compared with the 'previous quarter- "of March la,t, the quarter just ended 'shows an increase of and of 7619 compared with the corresponding quarter -of last year.

The first county rate to cover compensation for slaughtered animals, as prescribed by the recently passed Act of Parliament, >has becm made for Lancashire, at. a meeting of magistrates held in-Preston. The rate was made upon prop rty equal in vnlue to L 6,080,059, or about L 4,000,000 less rhan that of the whole county. The total sum estimated under the head of *' Cattle Plague Account" was L19,3902s Id, and a rate of three-farthings in the pound, realising L 19,000 33 9d was made. " , . ' The revenue returns, which were made up to June 30, cL'in-uid no particular remark b M yond that general expression of sitiifaction which happily of late years has become the normal condition of revenue returns to elicit. On the- q'larfer^he loss is only L 85.000 as comp ired with the corresponding quarter of last year. Thi-> is very gratifying when we boar in mind that the quarter i>f 1865 was enriched by a higher tea duty for a part of the 'lime, and by an income-tax under collection, which, except as regards* dividends and official salaries, was 2d higher I ban at present. On the year the decrease is L1,8G2,000, far 'less than Mr Gladstone estimated when he made such extensive remissions last April .twelvemonth. The great feature of the returns is the buoyancy of those source? of income which are unaf-' fected by recent .legislation. On both quarter and { yt- j ar every important item, save custom.s and property-tax, shows an increase 5 and whatever may be the opinions of Mr Gladstone's management of' the Reform question, there can be none of ' his management of the national finances. The following letter has been received from the Emperor of Abyssinia by Dr. Beke.» It was brought .by^Mr Martin Fla<L .one of the missionaries so long detained in that country, who has ju«t arrived in England with despatches for her Majesty's Government. Mr Flad quitted the Emperor's Camp at Zagyc, on the southwestern edge of Lake Tsana, on the 20th April last, at which place Mrs Flad and her three children, Consul Cameron and tho remaining' captives, together with Mr Rassaui and his suite, are detained until Mr Fiad's return: — ".In the name 'of the Father, and of , the Son, and of the Holy Ghostj one God, the. King of Kings, Theodoros, *may this reach the Englishman. Charles Theodore Beke Thou and thy wife, by the power of God, have reached my country. Aje you well? I,- God be praised ! am .well. What time you come, come by Matamma. As regards tfro persons who were imprisoned, by the power of G<>n\ out of , friendship" to tfi<J Queen of England, J«have liberated them, and given thorn to Mr Hormuz Rassam. May this" give you' pleasure. Written at Zayge, in tiie 73.58 th year since the creation of the world, and the 1858 th year since the birth of Christ.' 1

Til\, LKTCHARDT EXPEDITION.

The following interesting letter has been addressed to ths "Riverine

Herald" by 'Mr W. F. Barnctt, who has recently returned from the interior. We may mention tliat Mj Barnett was one of Mr M'lntyre's party when that gentleman successfully crossed the continent. . The Dr Murray referred to will be remembered by many residents

■ here as formerly House Surgeon of the ■ Provincial Hospital, luvercarglll, where ha was much esteemed. According to promise, I beg to forward a few memoranda of my journeys since siarfing from the River Paroo with the Leichardt search party. The party went all well until we arrived at . Lubraua Creek ; from this Mr M-Intyre made two journeys towards Q'oope'r's Creek to find -water. Oh his return from his second trip he found* his orders ' had been disregarded by Di: .Murray, and he gave the order' for aT ' the party to start for Cooper's Creek, as he fully expected to find water on his arrival there. How much Dr. Murray's disobedience of orders disorp;anised Mr M* In tyre's arrangements no one can tell", as Mi* M'lntyre alone knew what these arrangements were. About the portion' of Cooper's Creek - we struck at is broken up into a number of billybongs or anabranches, running on the ea«t sid^e of the main channel, distant from one another from five to ten miles. We, of course, travelling nearly west, struck the most easterly billybong, which had not the .slightest appearance of water. In the moi'ntog Mr M'lniyre crossed this, and finding that in consequence of the dreadfully cracked slate of the plains the camels could make but x very slow travelling, he at one returned to the party aiid gave orders for our return. This is" what Dry Murray calls his "faint" attempt to find water. Had Mr M'lntyre proceeded right across to the main channel, our subsequent journeys proved he would have found it at a distance of five-and-lwenty • miles, which projved his judgment was correct, expecting wafer about that longitude in~ the creek; whereas Dr. Murray endeavors to show that he had no reason to expect it. Unfortunately, the party were so circumstanced that they could not be left for the lime necessajy for Mr M'lntyre to prove bo- ' yond a. doubt if 1 here was water iv the main channel*; for^ him to take the parly on and*'- then not find water was certain destruction to all, so that, rather + han risk the lives of his men he reluctantly (I fcno-w well how reluctantly) gave the words to return to the last water. On one of the best camels he started on with Bellooch, tTiP East Indian^ so" thai " we~"ungbTT>e~ met with water ou our route. Dr. | Murray had shown the white feather 1 the night before, '• begging to be exI cuseel his watch," but this ,day he j fairly gave in. He speaks of the clifJ ficulty of driving the horses ; this' he i greatly augmented. He rode ahead of j the party much faster than he should, > causing the horses to get in a string'of several mile's, and again he was continually going in the dry creeks to see ?'f there w,as water, the horses, of course, following him, thereby causing the men

great trouble to get them on the track again. When once requested to stop' until the tail mob of horses got up him, he said "he could not — he must get on." Arrived at a place called the Bullock Waterhole, he declared the Leichardt Seavoh Expedition at an end, •and gave directions for the brandy to be got out, the horses to ba unpacked ; and left to shift 'for themselves, and \ the parly Ao proceed to water with ! the camels lightly packed with rations, j for. he said, "Now we must look out,' for our lives." When , told that our j lives were not in" danger, as Mr M'ln- I tyre would be out with w,\ler ere th t ! happened, he replied, ""Ah! you may I s«y so; yoa^nay Say so," thereby; casting a disgraceful doubt upon his ] leader. Through some misunderstand--'' ing the camels, with two of the men, , started during the night, and in the s ' morning, having caught jmv horses, we . prepared to follow. A search was made for more' brandy, and nof being able to find any, it haviug gone on [ with/ the camels, the doctor was mad ; enough t6 produce'his'bqttle of spirits j of \v : ne, and was about to serv"e it out •when T took it from him. I think ai'f.er this I need not conirnent upon his coudiv.t. Ilelurned to the water after much sutf oringi ' Dr. Murray and three men *ji.ai!.ed for thp settlements. The party now was' composed of Mr M' ln tyre, M : Cal<nan, myself, Bellooch (East Indian), and two aboriginals. We started again for. Cooper's Creek, and arrived at water about twenty-five miles beyond our 'former fuming point. We removed iv a few days to a splendid sheet of water, and camped, surrounded ,by five six or hundred aboriginals.- , They or twice evinced a Hostile spirit', but were intimidated from making an attack by sonic display of our superior power. The camels and horses b^ing sufficiently refreshed, we started on, and after arriving, at the Docker, -had a very pleasant journey, the' country beyond being in splendid condition. We slm JrM'Kinlay's forty-seventh camp on Mueller Creek, and found a splendid .pass over the northern dividing range, and in due time arrived at our destination at Carpentaria. Mr M'lntyre formed a [ camp on flic Gilliott, about 150 miles ; south of Burketown, Albert River. Hq intended remain here about a' month ! to sp.'li the camels and make up the : deficiencies of the party, and I? with • his consent, and I am happy to say a testimonial . of his satisfaction of my

conduct, left the party, as ho could now easily get a man in uiy place. I started for Burketown, - and when- I arrived, J. G. M'Donald, Esq., was just starting a boat party to endeavor to find, the month of the Leichardt River. I became /.ne of" the crew, and and we were successful'' in finding the mouth only two miles" 'east of the Albert Heads. We' succeeded in getting up fifty miles to the crossing place, three miles below the falls', which are from fifty to sixty feet high, the water being under tidal influence below the falls. We returned to Burketown, Albert. River, and I started overland for Port Denison, across the Flinders, the Norman, and the Gilbert, over the ranges, and oh 1 to tlie Lynn, down the Lynn and the Burdekin/ and then to Port Denison. 1 think the Leichardt navigable for about thirty miles. It possesses fine high banks, much to be preferred 'to the 'low mangrove fringed banks of the Albert. The Flinders, Leichardt, and Albert and its tributaries, are all pretty well settled, but there is still splendid pastoral country, between the Flinders and the settlements on the Lynn. Respecting 1 ' the half-castes mentioned by Mr M'lntyve, I caa support his statement of their existence amongst the blacks about the country he speaks of, There can be no doubt of whites having been amgngst them some te^n or fifteen years ago, and it is likely enough there are still some. s I think the northern Country is likely to become as valuable, to the miner as it is undoubtedly to the squatter.