SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 285, 25 July 1855, Page 5

SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

(From the Sydney Herald, June 12.) * Tahiti. —On the departure of the Wizard, the island was in some measure recovering from depression and stagnation of trade generally, attending the rainy season ; fewer whalers than usual had visited Tahiti, to relieve the monotony and increase the. gains of the merchant ; but fortunately the export of oranges had come to the assistants of the residents, and upwards of 1,500,000 had been shipped to different ports, particularly to San Francisco. The acts of the new Governor, Captain Dv Bouzet, (carried out in his absence by his commander), have been generally approved of, and it was thought his term of office after his return' from the French colony at New Caledonia would be marked by prudent measures, beneficial to the foreign residents and native population. Tahiti, from its position, was attracting the attention of captains and owners of vessels; from the facilities afforded distressed ships, several had been repaired of large tonnage, among which may be mentioned the English ship Sw'aithmore, American clipper ship John Land, and French ship Winslow, which, with, out (he aid afforded by theFrencli Government, must have been condemned. Merchants' stores are crowded with goods, and were shipments to cease for six months, ample supplies at the termination of that period would be found in the warehouses to satisfy all demands. The allied ships Amphitrite and L'.Arteniise, brought in several Russian prisoners tiikeii from the Russian Government North West Company's ship Sitka. Among them was a colonel and captain of artillery, who have their parole, and seem well pleased with their new residence ;- as an instance of the .extraordinary marches made by the Czav's troops, we may mention, the captain was at the battle, or massacre of Sinope, in the Black Sea, and from theace was ordered to "the protection of Petropalovski, a distance little short of 4,000 miles; but the vigilance- of the allied cruisers prevented the final carrying out. the autocrat's wishes. The unfortunate repulse met by our troops, last season, at Petropalovski, will be amply revenged, not only by the destruction of the above named fortress, (although that has been reinforced, with 3,000 troops) but also the complete annihilation' of Sitka, and the Russian forts at the river A moor. We very recently had ■ a conversation with one of the officers of one of H.B.M. ships, who was so unfortunate in the attiick of last year to receive a musket ball in the breast, passing out at his back, and although the period for the return of this ship to England was expected, he told us he should certainly ask the admiral to exchange into one of the ships going to the fresh attack, to endeavour to wipe away the pain caused by his unfortunate wound of last season. Russian doggedness must succumb to British courage. The active Admiral Bruce is appointed Oom-maudev-in-Chief of the Pacific squadron, hoisting his flag in a vessel of the line, the Monarch (temporarily hoisted in the president;) he is seconded also by the French, who have sent out a similar vessel ; and it is to be hoped that no unwise and divided counsel will prevent their carrying out the one great object of their combined operations, the totai destruction of Russian influence in the Pacific Ocean.