COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 42, 26 July 1845, Page 4

COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Van Bikmen's Land. — *By the Jlobart Town journals received yesterday, we'learn that a report is current that Sir Eardly Wilmot has received a despatch from Lord Stanley, consenting to the burden of the police and gaol expenditure being shared by the British Government, 'to the amount of one-half. The Observer says "'it is not true/' -and further observes, " Whether a reply to his Excellency's despatch on this subject has, or has not, been received, we are not informed ; but in touching upon the subject, we deerait only right to isay, that whether successful or not in his appeal to Lord Stanley's sense of justice, Sir Eardley Wilmot is equally entitled to the thanks of the colonists, for having advocated their fair claims." The Hobart Town Advertiser of the 20th ult. states — " Very luminous despatches have been received by his Excellency Sir Eardley Wilmot. Rumour says that their contents have notijeen of a most character. The number of convicts sent "to Van Diem en's Land will be materially diminished : this is caused by the estensive works carried on in fortifying the Rock of Gibraltar, which is done entirely by the labour of prisoners.-- The number of troops in the island is to be increased to 2,000 bayonets." The meeting of the legislative council had been postponed to this month -(July) .

India. — Upon looking through our Singapore papers, we find they contain news from the Continent of India to the middle of March. Although no actual outbreak had taken place, it was evident that the state of the Punjaub country was such that the Indian Government would be compelled to march troops to restore order ; and we presume that, as usual in such circumstances, the Punjaub will be added to the British territory. An army of forty thousand men was being gradually formed on the banks of the Sutlege. An important step in steam communication has been made this year. The Indian mails are now forwarded from London twice, instead of once a month as heretofore. The Peninsular and Oriental Company had agreed to run a steam vessel every month from Ceylon to China, from the Ist August next ; and early next year they are to place three iron boats (now building in England) on the line from Bombay to China. A fine steamer called the Firefly, now runs regularly between Calcutta and Singapore. The steamer India, of 1,000 tons, sent out from England some years since, to run between Bombay and Suez, was sold for £15,000, being the amount of her expenses in India, so that the proprietors will have every farthing of their capital invested in her. — Sydney Herald.