and one thousand horses were not sent in, the general
would go and take the cattle at any cost. Alarmed at
this menace, Moshesh came to the camp next evening,
and had a "talk" with the governor. The general
declined to talk at much length, but went straight to
the point: would Moshesh send in the cattle and
horses? Moshesh asked for time—might he have six
days? No—three days. Then Moshesh said he did
not wish for war, and would send in the cattle. He
departed; but he quickly sent a message, begging that
the day of interview might not count as one of the three
days of grace: which was allowed. On the third day a
son of Moshesh came in with 3500 head of cattle; but on
the next day came none; and the troops advanced. A
battle took place on the 20th, on the Berea Mountain.
The Basutos, mounted, in good order, with great spirit
and some six thousand in number, defended the
mountain and their herds of cattle. General Cathcart led
the first division into the fire. Colonel Eyre swept over
the mountain, and at one time was surrounded by large
bodies of horsemen. Lieutenant-Colonel Napier, with
the main of the cavalry, went round the base of the
mountain, and met with great resistance; but in the
end the enemy fled, and 4500 head of cattle were
captured. At one time the troops were in possession of
30,000 head, but they had not horsemen sufficient to
drive them away. The battle lasted from eight o'clock
in the morning until sunset. On the side of the British
were 38 killed, including 1 officer. Captain Faunce;
and 15 wounded, including 2 officers. Immediately
after the battle Moshesh sued for peace, begged not to
be considered any longer an enemy of the Queen, and
promised to do all he could to keep his people in order.
General Cathcart granted his request, and peace was
proclaimed. The governor then issued a proclamation
empowering the Burghers of the Orange Sovereignty to
arm themselves for their own protection; the camp was
then broken up, and the troops returned to their former
positions in Caffreland. The papers contain several
accounts of murders and outrages committed in the
absence of the troops. In an attack on a party of forty
Caffres at the Konap, Lieutenant Wright had been
severely wounded. Only two of the enemy were killed.
Two brothers had been shot between Port Elizabeth
and Somerset by rebel Hottentots; and in pursuing the
marauders Lieutenant Currie was severely wounded,
and Mr. Jan Bower killed. In a conflict with Brander,
in the Fish Rive Bush, an old field cornet, three of the
mounted police, and a soldier of the 12th Regiment,
were killed. The gang of Hottentots were dispersed,
eleven being killed. Several spirited revolutions were
passed by the municipality of Cape Town on the 19th
January, condemning the delay in granting the
constitution; repudiating any distinction, for political
purposes, between British, Dutch, and Coloured persons;
emphatically denying the numerical proportion alleged
by Sir John Pakington to exist between them; and
generally vindicating the Coloured inhabitants from the
charge of rebellion.

There are advices from the Australian Settlements to
the end of December and beginning of January.
Notwithstanding the Christmas holidays, and the scarcity
of water, the yield of gold from the Victoria diggings
amounted to about 100,000 ounces a week. From
November 18 to December 30, there had been 453,085
ounces brought by government and private escort,
exclusive of that brought by individual diggers. Up to
the end of 1852, it is estimated that the grand total
amounted to no less than 3,998,321 ounces—in round
numbers four million ounces, worth, at 70s. per ounce,
£14,000,000; but intrinsically little less than £16,000,000.
At Melbourne provisions had fallen in price. Flour was
selling at £20 a ton, or 1s. 6d. the quartern loaf, instead
of double that price; but vegetables, fruit, and butter,
were still dear. The population had increased upwards
of 30,000 in three months. At Port Phillip, during the
month of December, 12,000 emigrants and 152 ships had
arrived; yet nothing approaching to suffering had
occurred. Upon the whole, the labour-market was
easier; and the harvest and the wool crop, both
abundant, had been secured in all the colonies without
extraordinary expense, and in good condition. In the
Colonial Assembly of Sydney, a bill for the management
of the gold-fields had just passed, and it was to come
into operation on the 1st of February. By this bill,
"the government may grant leases by tender or auction
for quartz or other mining to British subjects for any
periods not exceeding twenty-one years; they may also
suspend any pastoral leases that may be found to extend
over gold-fields, upon giving compensation to the owners.
The licence-fee is fixed at 30s per month, and is to be
paid by traders and other parties as well as miners. In
the case of foreigners the charge is to be double. No
licence is to be given to those who shall not be able to
certify that they have been duly discharged from their
last place of service; and persons working without one
are to be fined £5, and to be liable in default to two
months' imprisonment with hard labour on the roads.
The bill contains several other provisions equally
stringent, and is said to be regarded by the most intelligent
classes with a strong feeling of aversion; the narrow
policy of the clause against foreigners being especially
condemned." Great complaints were made of the
irregularity and delay of the direct steam communication.
As an instance of its inefficiency, it is mentioned that on
the 8th of January the "Melbourne" had not arrived
at Adelaide: it was presumed she would only bring
news from England to October 3; whereas a sailing-
vessel had already brought news to October 5. Murders
by bushrangers are reported, especially near the new
diggings the Ovens. The diggings are described as being
in the most lawless state; tents are cut open during the
night even for an ounce of gold. The police force was
very small.

The intelligence from Canada contains one important
piece of intelligence; the second reading, on the 2nd
inst., of the Representation Bill—the Reform Bill of
Canada. Its object is to increase the representation
from 84 members to 120, taking generally, indeed as far
as the government deem practicable, population for the
basis, and disfranchising a number of small boroughs.
This bill, if it become law, it is admitted on all hands
will make the legislature of Canada much more
democratic than at present.

PROGRESS OF EMIGRATION AND COLONISATION

Emigration from Ireland continues to increase, not
only in extent, but in regularity and steadiness. "Every
American post," says a Galway newspaper, "brings its
supply of remittances, upon the receipt of which crowds
of emigrants hurry away, with scarce a moment's delay
or preparation. In ordinary correspondence, a communication
by post does not receive a reply more punctually
than a letter from an Irish emigrant in America, is
followed by the immediate departure of one, two, or
three, or more of the relations at home. The peculiarity
of this year's exodus consists in the fact that those
who compose it are not broken down tenants, terrified
by the pressure of poor-rate and the fears of a future
famine, or driven to despair by the menaces of a harsh
landlord, and the frightful visions of bailiffs or crowbars,
who fly to emigration as their last desperate resource,
they are persons well enough to do in the world, whom
the success of their friends in a strange land stimulates
to follow them. If one may judge by the numerous
instances which have come under our notice, the spell
that bound the Irish peasant to his native soil is broken;
and he is now as ready to break every tie which attached
him to his home, and to go forth in search of adventure,
as a Scotchman or an Arab of the desert. A most
remarkable instance of this change of feeling and of altered
circumstances of emigration, has been afforded this
very day in an extensive migration which has taken
place from the Islands of Arran. Seven years ago, even
while famine scared them from a wretched home, to part
from their native islands would have been a second
death to these primitive and secluded people. Now,
when they are in comparative affluence, able to satisfy
all their moderate wants in a home endeared by the tie
of kindred, and hallowed by many sacred traditions, a
departure to a distant land causes them little or no
emotion. To leave their friends at home and kindred
here for ever, apparently gives them as little concern as