ENGLISH NEWS. (From the London Correspondent of the Sydney Herald.)

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 616, 10 March 1852, Page 4

ENGLISH NEWS. (From the London Correspondent of the Sydney Herald.)

London, October 18, 1851. From the long 1 list, as published in the Gazeltp, of those <onfiibntors to tlu> Great Exhibition to whom medals have been rwnrded, or of whom " honourable mpution" has been made by the Juries, 1 take the following names of contributors connected with your colonies. 1 should remavk'tuat the medals awarded are of two sorts — what is called " the Council medal," granted for excellence of invention ; and " the prize medal," for superior skill in workmanship or artistio design, and excellence of production. Comparatively few Conncil medals have been awarded, and the rule upon which their appropriation has bepn founded would of course render tlipm inappropriate to colonial contributors generally. You will therefore not be surptised to find no Council medals allotted to any Australian colonist. Prize Medal.— To Messrs. Graham and Ilallett, South Australia, for specimens of copper ore from tlio ]Jurra Burra.— The Barossr. Range Mining Company, South Australia, copper ores. Prize Medal. — To Messrs. Deane, Dray, and Doane, Van Diemen's Land, for white wheat.— Messrs. Ilallett and Sons, South Australia, white soft wheat and (lour.— Messrs. Heath and Burrows, South Austialian white soft wheat.— Messrs. Maopherson and Francis, Van Diemen's Land, white wheat.— A. M. Milhgan, Van Diemen's Land, biscuits. Honourable Mention.— Of J. Briars, New South Wales, spiced beef and hams. — F. Lipscombe, Van Diemen's Land, a ham.— H. E. and M. Moses, South Australia, wheat and preserved meats. — E. Tooth, Van Diemen's Land, malt.— J. Walker, Van Diemen's Land, fine flour. Prize Medal.— To Sir William Denison, Van Diemen's Land, collection of raw produce. — Fowler, Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land, woods.— Capt.Hadden, 'Van Diemen's Land, woods. R. Y. Wood, Van Diemen's Land, woods.— Colonel Macarthur, New South Wales, collection of woods.— MacnaughtonVan Diemen's Land, woods.— J. Mdligan, Van Di«men's Land, co'leotion of raw piodnce. — Moses, Son, and Davis, New South Wales, lallow.— Wbitesides, Van Diemen'a Land, collection of woods. Honourable Mention.— Of Brown and Co., Van Diemen's Land, oils.— W. and J. Day, New South Wales, woods.— J. Dixon, Van Diemen's Land, flax. — Eus'on and Milligan, Van Diemen'o Land, woods. T. Mutton, Van oiemen's Land, tanning substances. — Rev. E. Freeman, Van Diemcifs and, woods. — W. Francis, New South Wales, woods.— J. Giant, Van Diemen's Lmd, woods. — IJallctt and Sons, South Australia, olive oil.— Hugh Hull, Van Diexueu's Land, woods.— Lipscombe, Van Diemen's Land, flax.— J. Milhgan, Van Diemen's Land, collection of produce.— Colonel Sir T. Mitchell, New South Wains, flax.— W. Murray, Van Diemen's Land, starch.— S. Moses, Van Diemen's Land, whalebone.— P. Oa'iden, Van Diemen's Land, oils. — Quinn, Van Diemen's Land, collection of woods. — VV. Rout, Van Diemen's Land, wax.— Lieutenant Smith, Van Diemen's Land, wattle gum.— Stevens and Thompson, Australian wool.— W. Watchorn, Van Diemen's Land, oils.— T. Walker, New South Wales, tweeds.— Hall, Sydney, New Sou'h Wales enamelled kangaroo skins. — Burlord, South Australia, soap. Piize Medal.— To Henry Dowling, Van Diemen's Land, Tasmanian printing. It is possible, as the lists are made out not geographically but according to species of production and industry, some colonial contiibutois may have escaped my notice among the long catalogue of names. Yon Diemen's Land exhibits, you will observe, a goodly list of meritorious contributions. This is no doubt due, in the first place, to the positive excellence of the objects exhibited ; but the gieat numeiical superiority of \~nn Diemen's Lund exbibiiors thus honoured, must of course be attributed to tbe much more numeious contributions from that colony, in comparison with articles from the neighbouring settlements. In connexion with Van Diemen's Laud, it is only due to Mr. Charles M'Laculan, to whom the large shipment of Tasmanian Products was consigned, to observe that nothing could exceed the attention which this gentleman bestowed on the very harrassing labours thus suddenly cast upon bun. But Mr. M'Lachlan has long been known for his public-spirited exeitions on behalf of this colony ; and we have here but one out of mnny instances of his zealous concern for her best interests.

London, October 23, 1851. There is a statement in the City article of the Times of the 21-.t, to the effect thai the Australian gold discoveries had produced but hUle alteration in the number of passengers to New South Wales. This is quite jn accordance with my own information on the subject. ' E rer since the first announcement of the discovery I Lave been watching with great curiosity its effect on the passenger traffic, but up to yesterday nay enquines Lave always met the same answer — " no additional demand." Several extra vessels have been laid on, yet such is the amount of shipments that freights have considerably advanced, and the brokers who, until lately, were anxiously accommodating to their more regular customers, are now very independent and even a little patronising. But there has been no rush of people to the Sydney bound ships, though now there is no longer any doubt sis to the vast reality of your treasure trove. J o!)3ervp that very naturally in June last, you anticipated that the intelligence of your gold fields would speedily direct a laige stream of emigration to your shores. That eventually such boundless natural wealth must draw towards it a large population from other quarters is about as certain as any law of physical atti action ; but there are some ciicumstiinces at the present moment which serve, as I think, to explain how then? is no immediate rush to your diggings from the British islands. And first and foremost, there is the great fact of the California!) diggings. Three years ago tbe world was " stunned" with the announcement that a region of this eaith bad been discovered, whose surface was studded with the precious metal. But the country which realised this fairy dream wos a remote one. It could only be npproached by a voyage across the tropics to the Southern Pole and back again, or by a hazardous journey across tbe pestilential regions of Central America, or the frozen mountains of the Northern Continent. To tbe ordinary "emigrant," liisb or British, California with all its treasures was wholly inaccessible. But the idle and dissipated and the adventurous of Europe, who could muster the necessary funds to sucim 1 n passage, soon flocked to the golden territory. Democratic young enthusiasts fiom Germany, Gardes Mobiles from Paris, expatriated ilungaiians, and some of the wild young blood of our own country, animated by a Con. Cfegan spiiit of adventure, were off for California, where the only thing nsked was life, and where men could not help being lich if they did not die. But the " States," oloser at hand and more experienced, contributed after all by far the greater number of gold seekers. After a while, when we in the old world had begun to subside in our wonderment, and to arrive at tjio opinion that gold was only much more nhundnnt .than had been before thought dews came of fevers, murder, robbery, Lynch-law, and food so dear that even in the midst of gold a stout man might starve ; so that on the whole, gold countiies, in the abstract, are not very popular in the United Kingdom. It is in this state of things that we receive tidings of another California, discovered in the very bosom of one of our own most flourishing colonies — a colony already so well oft, so abounding with products, (hat it has never yet been able to get population fast enough to secure the annual yield. First, then, you will see our surprise has been pretty Well exhausted by the first Dorado, and there is no cbancn o( the popular imagination being excited by the discovery of the second. In the next place there is an idea moro pi evident than you would give the community credit for, that gold may be brought too dear. The pubic mind may not be equal to the drudgery of your economical logic, by which this tiuth may be very exactly demonstrated, but there is a slnewd general apprehension of Ihe fact. Then again, as 1 have repeatedly beloie taken occasion to mention, 'the people of Great Britain aio at present thriving. Finally — and this pethaps is the strongest item of tho whole — the cost of passage money is too high for Sydney for the many to bo able to compass. I soo the town placarded with brokers' notices of passages to Sydney, " tbe nearest port to the Gold Districts," in which the steerage passage is put down at £20. You will have noticed that our leading journal has sounded the alarm that emigration has been going on too rapidly of late from the United Kingdom. Your great contemporary will contemplate Ireland in particular. But with our constantly increasing fixed capital in Britain, and our commerce expanding in all directions, Ireland has contributed a large annual addition to the British population. Perhaps that may now cease, and if lifu and propeity could be consideied toleiably _ fjecured in the sister island there might be even an cnu-

gration of En { ;li-,h to that <ounli y. lt\ this evpntful period things may then be tending to what the Times forebodes ; but suiely we cnn have no fear of compensating tendencies. We h.ive had a surplus population, and all the wretchednesb to w Inch it gives lihp. 'J he moment oui population .it large can be peimanently employed at far wages, extensive emigntion will cea^e. But we may, peihnps, see in the great Irish emigration to America ano'lur reason for no greot English emigration to New South Wales taking place under the impulse of your gold di-coveues. 1 have mentioned my surmises as to thp views which the Colonial Office would enteitain on the convict question, now that a new phase is given to it by these discoveries. They at first rested only on my appreciation of Dowmug-stieet morality on tins particular question; they weie then much stiengthened by the observations which appeared in the C^nle newspaper, the accredited organ of the Whig Government. A rumour lias reach* d me to-day that Government gold discoveries in the light I feared they would. It may be an idle wl-ispcr— l trust it muy prove so. Our news from the Cape is very unsatisfactory. Some people cry out for an army of 10,000 men— others think we have too many troops alteady there, for any rriluo our Carr'rarian possessions aieor can evei be to this country. It is announced, however, that Lord Grey will not send any moie troops from this country; but I suppose some may be sent from India. There will surely be grrtil debates on the Capo war in the next session. Sir Harry Smith, in answer to the Grabam's-Town petitions for military protection, replies that the people of that portion of the country may thank themselves for their present perilous state, by not answering his earlier appeal to them to turn out in their own dofence. Sir Andreas Stockenstroom his just left in the Cape steamer, after publishing a pamphlet full of tbe severest condemnation of Sir Harry's conduct and policy towards the native Africans. New Zealand, too, we also hoar requires troops, when it was hoped her natives had grown so civilized and con- tented that our military establishment in that quarter might safely bo reduced. The excitement of the Exhibition being over, we are now being agitated by two somewhat diflerenl topics — Kossuth and Bloomeiism. 'J he Hungarian patriot arrived at Southampton to-day, and will serve as the idol of a party in this countiy for a short time. lie has no doubt been unduly puffed up by some, which has led the Times and other journals to be perbapa too severe in condemning him. Undoubtedly bis uddress at Marseilles was a most llljudged thing, but be will baveadviaeis in this country who mil keep him, it i 9 to be hoped, from committing similar indiscretions heie. I sue a great Bloomer ball is announced to take place next week in no less a place than the I innovoi -square Kooms — "no lady to be admitted except in Bloomer costume." This is one of those absurd epidemics which the civilized world is occasionally subject to, and it seems now to be in the heighth of its rage. All the thenties are noting Bloomor faices, and we have JJloomer polkas and waltzes, Bloomer shirts and ties, lilootner hosiery , and lectures on JJlooinemm. The Herald reports a split in the cabinet on the subject of the Premier's new Reform Bill. It is remarkable how little the public at largo seem interested iv this question. If I might hazaid the opinion, the nation does not appear to me at all disposed to trouble itself about matters of constitutional oiganization. Material prosperity, diminished taxation, and the simplification and cheapening of law, seem the great aims of the present day in England.