AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 686, 27 May 1869, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAMS.

Wrecks and Great Loss of Life.

Sydney, May 8. The conference on the Customs union adopted their repoit and closed their proceedings to-day. The report was passed on the following resolutions, v j Zt . —First, that a commercial federation of the colonies, was advantageous to the interests of all. Second, that a Customs union was the best means of attaining that object, together with the free interchange of colonial produce. Third, that the division of the Customs union revenue be apportioned to the respective colonies on the basis of population. The fourth resolution asserted the advisability of a fixed tariff and direct taxation. Some other business was discussed, and resolutions were passed in favor of inter-colonial telegrams being reduced, and that #raiu and flour be sold at per cental. May 11. The banquet to-night to the Customs delegates promises to be well attended, An attempt was made to rob the Joint Stock Bank at Braidwood on Sunday night. Three armed men robbed the Southern mail near Goulburn before daylight, and carried off the mail bags. The new Caledonia sugars realised .£37 15s. Newcastle, May 9. A heavy gale came on from the south east last night, and blew very hard, accompanied at intervals with heavy rain, which etill continues. The sea rose very rapidly, and broke with great violence over the Heads. All a.m. to-day a steamer hove in sight from the south-east, and twice attempted to enter the port, but was compelled to st.nd out for sea, and ap parently ran for Port Stephens. She is supposed to be the Platypus, or the Susannah Cuthbert. The brig Burnett, coal laden for Sydney, was compelled to put back. She entered about noon, with a signal of distress flying, and dropped anchor off Oyster Bank. She drifted into the Bight, with the sea breaking over her heavily. Some time after the life-boat was manned, and despatched to her assistance, but before any assistance could be rendered the vessel foundered and all hands are supposed to have perished. The life-boat was unable to return, and has gone out to sea, she will probably come in when the flood tide sets in. It is not yet known whether she succeeded in saving anyone. She has anchored off Nobby's, and it is doubtful if she will get in to-night. The schooner Jessie anchored off Red Buoy at 3 a.m., but she broke adrift, and was wrecked on Oyster Bank about 4 a.m. Captain Pugh, Frank Long, the mate, and Thomas M'Lellan, the cook, were the only persons saved of her crew. The men lost are Samnel Brown, Charles Watt, and Charles Oliver. The figure-head of the schooner Nancy and a gilt flgure-head supposed to belong to the schooner Oriti, have been found on North Beach; Both vessels left Newcastle on Friday last, and are supposed to be wrecked. The Coonanbarra arrived safely at 1 o'clock, with the loss of two boats, which were smashed by the heavy seas, striking her. Captain Adams was loudly cheered on arrival. It is now known that no persons were saved from the Burnett. Fears are entertained for the safety of the other vessels which left here before the gale commenced. The captain of the Jessie reports seeing the barque Planter, the schooners Fanny, Stranger and Don Juan, and two brigs, names unknown, off Bird Island. There has been great destruction of property at Windsor and Penrith, and two persons have been drowned.

Breakfast.—A Successful Experiment. —The Civil Service Gazette has the following interesting remarks : —" There are very few simple articles of food which can boast so many valuable and important dietary properties as cocoa. While acting on the nerves'as a gentle stimulant, it-pro-vides the body with some of th? purest elements of nutrition, and at the same time corrects and invigorates the action of the digestive organs. These beneficial eifects depend in a great measure upon the manner of its preparation, but of late years such close attention has been given to the growth and treatment of cocoa, that there is no difficulty in securing it with every useful quality fully, developed. The singular succes which Mr Epps attained by his homoeopathic preparation of cocoa has never been surpassed by any experimentalist. Ear and wide the reputation of Epps's Cocoa has spread by the simple force of its own extraordinary merits Medical men of all shades of opinion have agreed in recommending it as the safest and most beneficial article of diet for persons of weak constitutions. This superiority of a particular mode of preparation over all others is a remarkable proof of the great results to be obtained from little causes. By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of wellselected cocoa, Mr Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavored beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills. It is by the judicious use of such articles of diet that a constitution may be gradually built up until strong enough to resist every tendency to disease. Hundreds of subtle maladies are floating around us ready to attack wherever there is a weak point. We may escape many a fatal shaft by keeping ourselves well fortified with pure blood and a properly nouiahed frame." 125