SYDNEY. [From the Sydney Herald.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 890, 11 February 1854, Page 4

SYDNEY. [From the Sydney Herald.]

H.M.S. "Herald."— The Herald sailed from Sydney on September 2nd, after a stay in our port of 57 days, aDd arrived at Lord Howes Island on the sth. The intended survey of Elizabeth Reef was prevented by boisterous weather; and as charts of Lord Howes Island had been constructed during last visit, she remained there only 10 days. The Herald reached the Isle of Pines on September 24th, and remained there a month. The name of Port Albert was given by Captain D^nlnm to the harbour on the south side of the island, which was thoroughly surveyed. During the Herald's stay, the French national steamer La Pfo-que arrived from Balade, New Caledonia,where tiieir flag had been hoisted en shore, and a fort erected. The French Admiral was on board the I Phoque — a circumstance which was carefully concealed from the English, and he did not fly his flag. It has been conjectured that he was baulked by tl-e -Herald's presence in an intention to take possession of the Isle of Pines, for which the two " missionaries" who have lived there for the last five years have been paving the way. They have not attempted to ma;ke a single convert, their chief occupation being the profitable one of sawing pine into plants. Al- j though they have gained a considerable ascendancy over "King J.mmie," to whom they pay £100 a year, they are universally disliked by the natives. On October 22nd the Herald left the Isle of Pines for the Feejees. Several days were spent in unsucesslully searching for "La Brillante Shoal" of the Sydney Gazette of October 14th, 1847. Matthew's Island was visited on November I4tb, 1847. Matthew's Island was visited on November 4th, and found to be in a quiescent state. No anchorage could be obj tamed there. Two days afterwards the wind being still easterly, the attempt to reach the Feejees was abandone 1, and the Herald bore up for Aneiteum, where she anchored next day, ; and finally left on November 29;h, after having made a survey of the island. Some of the chiefs who bad heard of the proceedings of the French in the Pacific expressed a desire that Aneiteum should be placed under British protection. The island of Enonan, or Futuna,was next visited, and surveyed on the 2nd and 3rd December. After adding another testimony to the non-existence of Burrow's Island, for which Mare had doubtless been mistaken, the position of the S.W. point of the latter was accurately determined and found, like nearly every other position in these seas, to be incorrectly laid down upon the charts. The Herald reached the Isle of -Pines for the second time on December 10th : and during her stay of ten days there, the boats completed, with the survey of Pert Victoria, all that remained- to be done to the chart.. Lord Howes Island was again reached on December 26th, and left next day. In 'addition to what has already been stated, several reported dangers — at Middleton's Island, Golden Grove, and Lady Nelson Shoals, &c, — were unauccesfully sought after, and sounded fur, with upwards of 200 fathoms olf line every few miles, but without in a single instance either confirming or altogether disproving their existence. A severe shock erf an earthquake was felt at Aneiteum while the Herald was lying there. The John Williams was a-so there, and the Early Bird at the Isle of Pines, at which place the station formed by Captain Towns bad been burnt by accident. A private letter from England, dated October 1, to a gentleman in Sydney, says — "Mrs. Ch'sbolm will 'set sail in November with 300 Jewesses, besides other females for Australia."