SUNKEN ROCK IN ENDEAVOUR STRAIT.

July, 1853. The master of the Midlothian reported, on his passage from Hobart Town for Singapore, via Torres' Straits, he struck on a sunken rock off the south end of Entrance Island, Endeavour Strait, distant from that island about 1 mile, which is not laid down in any chart to his knowledge.

WILLIS'S ISLANDS, TORRES STRAITS.

Hydrographic-Office, Admiralty, Nov.

1853.

Sir, I beg to apprise you of the discovery of the Willis's Islands, near the southern entrance of Torres' Straits. Captain Parsons, who discovered them, gave the following positions :-Westernmost island, lat. 15° 54'S., lon. 149° 43' E., the easternmost being about 8 miles to the north and east of it. J. BEAUFORT, Hydrographer.

Captain G. A. Halsted, R.N., Secretary, Lloyd's.

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE, &c.

ACCOUNT of the Quantities of the principal Articles Imported into the United Kingdom from the British Settlements in Australia, including New Zealand, for each of the three years ending January 5, 1854

PRODUCE, &C. OF UNITED KINGDOM.

AN ACCOUNT of the Exports from the United Kingdom to the British Settlements in Australia, including New Zealand, in each of the three years ending January 5, 1854 :

AN ACCOUNT of the Exports from the United Kingdom to the British Settlements of Australia, including New Zealand, in each of the three years ending January 5, 1854.

An ACCOUNT of the Number of SHIPS, and their TONNAGE, cleared from the United Kingdom to the British Settlements in Australia, for each of the Three Years ending January 5, 1854.

TOTAL PRODUCE OF GOLD MINES.

The total produce of the mines since the first discovery has been returned as follows:

1851.

1852.

3,501,042
762,000

...

4,263,042

1853.

2,472,713

617,629

3,090,342

7,398,530

Which, at 808. per ounce, gives a sum of 29,594,1201.-Economist, July 1, 1854.

LETTERS.

General Post Office, July, 1854. Arrangements have been made for the conveyance of mails to Australia once in every month, by the establishment (under a contract with the General Screw Steam Shipping Company) of a packet to run once in two months direct from Southampton to Australia, alternately with the existing line of packets from Singapore, in connexion with the Indian mail service. The mails for Australia will accordingly be made up in London, during the remainder of the present year, on the following days-August 4th, morning, by direct packet; September 4th, morning, vid Southampton and Singapore; September 9th, evening, via Marseilles and Singapore; October 4th, morning, by direct packet; November 4th, morning, via Southampton and Singapore; November 9th, evening, vid Marseilles and Singapore; December 4th, morning, by direct packet. All letters and newspapers for New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Van Diemen's Land (except such as may be specially addressed "vid Marseilles") will be forwarded by the packets of the General

Screw Steam Shipping Company direct from Southampton, or by the line via Southampton and Singapore, according as they may be posted in time for either line of packets. Postmasters will see that this regulation differs from the regulation laid down for the despatch of letters to India, &c., which, as a rule, are forwarded vid Marseilles, unless specially directed to be sent by another route, while letters for the Australian colonies above-mentioned will be conveyed by the long sea route as the rule, and only viá Marseilles when so directed. This is necessary, as letters viá Marseilles can be forwarded to Australia only once in two months, and, if inadvertently posted without any special address, would be subject to a very long delay. The postage upon letters for any of the Australian colonies when conveyed by direct packet, or via Southampton and Singapore, will be 1s. the half-ounce; and, when addressed to be sent vid Marseilles, 1s. 10d. if under a quarter of an ounce, 28. 3d. if weighing a quarter of an ounce and not exceeding half an ounce, and so on, according to the scale in operation for charging letters addressed to India. Newspapers posted in accordance with the regulations will be transmitted by packet direct, or by packet via Southampton and Singapore, free of charge, but will be liable to a postage of 3d. each when sent via Marseilles. The postage upon both letters and newspapers must be paid in advance. Letters, &c., for Western Australia, are forwarded by private ships, unless specially directed to be sent via Singapore, or by some other route.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

South Australia, a British colony, the territory of which comprises all that part of Australia extending from lat. 26° S. to the S. coast of the continent, between lon. 132° and 141° E., having S.E. the colony of Victoria, or PortPhilip (Australia Felix), and E. the region watered by the Murray and its tributaries,-Keith Johnston.

LETTERS.

By T.W., June 21, 1854, the British rate to South Australia is not ex. oz. 6d., ex. oz. same proportion. But see fresh notice in preceding page. Of course this annuls the rates so far in Part VII.-Ed.

PROSPECTS.

The prospects of the colony are of the most encouraging nature. Capital in abundance is ready for profitable occupation; schemes both of public and private importance only wait a supply of labour to be accomplished. The mining interests alone would immediately afford profitable employment for many thousands of people. The successful navigation of the Murray offers much prospective advantage to South Australia, and by judicious measures and the necessary enterprise the colony will become the depôt for a large increase of trade.-Report of the South Australian Banking Company, June 27, 1854.

CHANGES IN TARIFF.

The committe appointed by the legislature of South Australia to consider the changes which it was thought desirable to make in the tariff, has agreed that all ad valorem duties should be fixed at a uniform rate. They recommend an ad valorem duty of 5 per cent. upon every article imported with the exception of the following, which are to be charged at the rate specified : -Spirits, per gallon, 8s.; wine in bulk, per 'gallon, 1s.; wine in bottle, per gallon, 28.; beer, cyder, perry, &c., per gallon 4d.; tobacco, manufactured, per lb., 18.; tobacco, unmanufactured, per lb., 6d.; tobacco, cigars, and

cheroots, per lb., 2s. 6d. tobacco snuff, per lb., 1s.; tobacco, sulphured or tarred, for sheepwash, per lb., 1d.; tea, per lb. 2d.; sugar, refined and candied, per cwt., 4s.; sugar, muscovado, per cwt., 2s.; sugar, molasses, per cwt., 18.; coffee, per cwt., 68. ; hops, per lb., 2d.; iron, bar and rod, per ton, 10s.; iron, sheet and hoop, per ton 14s. ; iron, pig, per ton, 5s.; wood, as per existing tariff; fruit, dried, of all sorts, per cwt., 4s.; salt, per ton, 38.; bacon and hams, per cwt, 2s. 6d. ; beef and pork, per cwt., 1s. 6d.; bricks, fire and bath, per thousand, 5s.; corn and pulse, per qr., 6d. ; malt, per qr., 3s.; flour and meal, bran and pollard, per 100 lb., 2d.; pitch, tar, and rosin, per barrel, 1s. But to the existing list of goods entered free of duty, the following are added, namely, wool, tallow, skins and hides (raw), bark, and gum. -Economist, March 18, 1854.

ADELAIDE.

DISCHARGING CARGO.

A case of some importance to the mercantile community was recently decided in the Supreme Court. Captain Hellingham, of the Agneta, finding there was not water enough on the outer bar at Port Adelaide to bring his ship over, discharged part of his cargo in lighters, and debited the consignees with the expense. The claim was resisted, and the matter was carried into the law courts. The judges decided that ships were bound to deliver their cargo at the wharves.-South Australian Register, March 29, 1854.

REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.

The usual abstract of the revenue and expenditure of the colonial government for the last quarter of the year 1853 has been published in the government Gazette. The entire ordinary revenue for the quarter was 63,7114. 3s. 3d., and the expenditure 70,6301. 17s. 7d. The expenditure, however, includes the sum of 20,1061. 98. in aid of roads and bridges. The ordinary revenue has been supplemented by a grant of 45,000l. from the Crown moiety of the land fund; so that the total revenue for the quarter amounts to 108,7114. 38. 3d. The ordinary revenue for the corresponding quarter of the previous year was 24,3947. 15s. 9d. or less than that of the quarter just passed, by 39,316.7s. 6d. The customs receipts amount to 55,8531. 15s. 3d., being 38,419. 15s. 8d. in excess of the receipts of the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The postal revenue is 2,4617. 3s. 1d., against 1,912/. 2s. 2d. for the corresponding quarter of the year 1852.

VICTORIA.

BASS'S STRAITS REVOLVING LIGHT ON CAPE OTWAY.

Trinity House, London, July 20, 1853.

The following particulars respecting the revolving light at Cape Otway, (the first exhibition of which, in August, 1848, was notified from this house on April 11, 1849), having been communicated to this corporation by direction of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, are hereby made public for the general information of mariners, viz :—

The lighthouse on Cape Otway in Bass's Strait is situate in latitude 30° 51' south, and in longitude 143° 29′ E. The light revolves, showing a bright flash, once in every minute, and burns at the height of 300 feet above the level