SYDNEY,

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 679, 4 February 1852, Page 3

SYDNEY,

We have authority for stating that the celebrated monster steamer the Great Britain of 3700 tons register, now the property of Messrs. Gibbs, Bright & Co., of Liverpool, will probably be added to their line of packets

for these colonies ; if so, we shall be able to boast that the largest steamer ever built ha® b< en se t to our port. The Great Britain will be commanded by Captain Matthew, late of the Great Western, —Sydney Morning Herald, Jan. 3.

Report per clipper ship Queen of Sheba, from California, out 47 days, four of which she lay in the Island of Upola, whence she sailed on the 14th December:—Reports worthy of belief were currently circulated in San Francisco, that immense quantities of gold were being found by the natives on Queen Charlotte’s Island, lying to the northward of Vancouver’s ; the island is a possession of the British Crown. Speculators were directing their attention in that quarter, and should confirmatory intelligence be received a rush would no doubt take place from Oregon and San Francisco. There were no vessels in Apia harbour when the Queen of Sheba sailed ; the natives all quiet and cultivating the lands ; a horse belonging to the British Consul had been wantonly speared a short time since. A visit from a British man-of-war is much required, none have visited that port lately. The master of the Q. S. recommends Upola as a convenient half way port from California, for ships standing io need of refreshmemts, and also as a good • coaling depot for the Pacific steamers, which, ' in his opinion, will one day carry the British ’ and Australian mails, via San Francisco.— Ibid.

Resignation of the Auditor General —After a sei vice of more than a quarter of a century, commencing under the administration of Sr T homas Brisbane, and extending through those of Sir Ralph Darling, Sir Richard Bourke, Sir George Gipps, and through five years of that of his Excellency the present Governor-General, Mr. Lithgow has resigned office. — Ibid. Constitutional Government. — Mr. Justice Dickinson has published a pamphlet on tne busi form-sf g-3ve-rv-meJl-fnrj.his_cplony. The learned judge is -ecidediy in favour of two chambers in the legislature : the lower house to be elected by popular suffrage ; for the upper house, or senate, he proposes the erection of a baronetage, for which the Nova Scotia baronets afford a precedent.— lbid.