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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 757, 16 July 1853, Page 1 (Supplement)

Melbourne journals received since our last issue, j contain summaries of English news to the last week in March, the latest having been received by the Genghis Khan (whrch had brought out five hundred and twenty-six Government emigrants). The point of mostimpoi lance touched on it, is the continued apprehension that the Eastern cjuestion (which the last accounts led us to hope was in a fair way of immediate adjustment) might soon involve the European Powers in hostilities. The crisis in the affairs of Turkey, supposed to have been terminated by the submission of the Porte to the demands of Austria, had been renewed by yet more imperious demands advanced by Russia, —such as, it was believed., could not be granted by Turkey without an entire surrender of her independence. The Times of the -22 nd March, however, contained a communication from its Paris correspondent encouraging the expectation that still the difficulties might be amicably arranged. This, together with the other kerns 'of European news given by the Argus, will be found in our columns 10-dav.

An alarming fire had broken out in Windsor Casile on the evening of the 19ih of March. It was subdued in a comparatively short time, yet not until damage had been done to the "amount of—at the lowest calculation—lo,oool. Her Majesty was at the Castle at the time. The Osmanli steamer was to sail from Liverpool on the 7lh of April for Melbourne and Sydney. The luckless A. R. M. Co's. steamship Australian had been towed to the East India Docks, Blackwall, on the 25rd of March, "for the purpose of undergoing a thorough repair, by order of the Government Inspectors." There is little in the few late Melbourne papers calling for notice. Trade is reported as dull, the supplies exceeding the demand in many articles. The depreciation in the price of bread-stuffs particularly of flour, continued. The Herald of the Ist instant, gives the following remarkable illustration of this: — lt Amongst the singular results of the present state of our markets, we find that about seven thousand barrels of American flour have been sold at a low figure for shipment to Liverpool, whither it will be carried at a merely nominal rate of freight, instead of ballast." The First of this month —being the Anniversary of fine erection of Victoria into a distinct colonv, independent of New South Wales—was celebrated in Melbourne as a holiday the Banks and a large proportion of the shops and other places of business being closed. Mr. Rae, of New York, Agent for the Caloric ship Ericsson, had arrived at Melbourne, and it was expected that that vessel—every new account of which is more encouraging than any previous one—would have been despatched for Melbourne about the middle of June. We have received San Francisco papers to the 45th of April. They contain little to excite interest here, —except the details of two shipping disasters, attended wilh a calamitous loss of life. The steam ship Independence, Captain Sampson, had been wrecked near Margarita Island, and Passengers and Crew to the number of one hundred and thirty, had perished. The survivors had signed a document attributing the catastrophe to " the carelessness, mismanagement, or wilfulness of Captain Sampson."—The other disaster was the explosion of the boiler of the steamer Jenny hind, while on a pleasure excursion between San Francisco and San Jose. Unfortunately the passengers, having just sat down to dinner, were in a direct line with the boiler- when it burst. About fifty were frightfully scalded, of whom twentyone had shortly after died, amongst whom were several old and much-respected residents. Business was in a depressed state at San Francisco. There had been large importations (especially heavy arrivals of Flour), and the overflowing of the rivers and the impassable state of many of the roads had greatlyreduced the demand for goods for the interior. "' .*