CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 26, 28 June 1845, Page 2

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

* A great improvement has this year taken place in our wine trade, and it is with pleasure we look forward to the increased puces the wine farmer is likely to obtain for. the vintage now in hand. Wine of last year's vintage now fetches about £6 per leaguer in the unprepared state, and several parcels have recently changed hands at this rate. We

understand nearly the whole of the old win —by no means a large stock—will be n/ 8 pared for the English market o a the next importation of French Brandy, an articla present very scarce with us. Cape which is occasionally used in preparing Wine' is also scarce, owing to the difficulty of om ting it ridden into town. The drought con" tinues, and the cattle are so much impoverished in consequence, that wheat and all othe produce from the interior comes tardily f or ward. Considerable quantities of produce" however, arrive coastwise, and our market generally is in a healthy state. Trade upon the whole continues to flourish with us — Cape Shipping and Mercantile Gazette. When the Brunswick, Captain Coppell left Ichaboe on the 20th ult., H.M.S. Thunder, bolt, and about 100 sail were remaining there" and the whole of the Guano left on the Island was already in bags, and ready for shipment as soon as the weather would permit. Ibid Port Natal —The Limerick Chronicle of 23rd November, contains the following— " Major Selwyn is reported for the Governor, ship of Port Natal, Cape of Good Hope at £800 a-year salary." — Ibid. ' Captain Kelly, of the American whaling brig Penobscot, reports that a French frigate brig, and steamer of war, arrived at Zanzibar the Bth November last, to establish a Consalate there. — Ibid. The Hon<j Kong Gazette of the 4th Dec. last, contains the important intelligence that Macao was to have been declared a Free Port from the Ist of January last, and open to the flag of all nations on a perfect equality so that foreign vessels will he admitted to the inner harbour, hitherto only open to Chinese Portuguese, and Spanish vessels, and merchants will be permitted to warehouse their goods in Macao, paying a duty of one per cent., if re-exported within one month.— lbid. We observe in the Singapore papers, lately received, an account of the total loss of the Mellish, Captain Fawcett, in the China Sea on the sth October last. Several lives were lost, but the survivors, amongst whom were some passengers, after suffering great hardships in the boats for 22 days, ultimately landed in Cochin China. The vessel was bound from China to London.— lbid. Mines. —Christiana, Nov. 22.—From one of the mines in Norway a mass of silver ore, weighing 1,680 lbs., which will probably yield 804 lbs. of pure silver, has been obtained —the largest lump, perhaps, that has ever been extracted from a mine.— lbid. The South Sea islands are not the only spots where the French have lately distinguished themselves rather unenviably. They have been endeavoring to obtain a footing at Gaboon, a place on the Western coast of Africa, where British subjects are said to have established factories for more than a century. The place had been considered for many years as a British possession, the articles exported from the country, such as beeswax, ebony, tortoise-shell, &c, being admitted into the British ports on payment ol the same duties as would have been charged upon articles imported from a British colony. In March, it appears that a French man-of-war arrived in the neighborhood, and a Baron Daurican endeavored to persuade the sable monarch, called in the papers, "King Glass," to sign away his country to the French, but he declined to do so. At last the captain of a French merchantman volunteered to procure the signature of his Majesty to the treaty of cession, and succeeded by making him drunk with rum. The next morning the black monarch disavowed the treaty which he had signed in his cups, and complained of French injustice and aggression. Some British merchants had complained to Parliament on the subject.— Cape Frontier Times.

Natal.—Files of the Natalier have been received up to the Bth of November. In these papers some account is given of the party who proceeded some time ago from the Drakensberg to Delagoaßay. It appears that the whole party arrived iv good health at the latter where they were kindly received by the Governor and Mr. Smellekamp, late supercargo of the Brazilia. The former directed a salute to be fired on the arrival of the farmers at bis house, and invited them to see him on the same day. He has granted them a piece of land, situated, so it is said in the account before us, about four days journey on foot from the coast, reaching from the 26th to the 10th degree of south latitude, where they will be allowed to live under their own Jaws and institutions. They are also to be independent of all control of the Portuguese authorities, and will have liberty to trade with all ports belonging to the Portuguese Government. They, will likewise, it is said, be allowed to purchase land from the natives. These conditions have been reduced to writing) and signed by the Governor of Delagoa Bay. The party had returned in safety, and many of their countrymen at Natal were preparing to depart for the new settlement.— -Ibid.