The contract entered into about a twelvemonth since for the
convey- ance of the mails by steam-packets of 300 horse power and upwards from England to North America, will come into operation immediately ; the Britannia steam-ship having arrived at Liverpool to carry out the first mail : she is to be followed by the Arcadia, Caledonia, nil Co- lumbia, all large and powerful vessels. The terms of the cum e:let are, that the mails shall be conveyed twice in every 1110!Ith frOD1 Liverpool to Halifax in Nova Scotia, and from HeBYax to Bosttm in the United States; and while the St. Lawrence is neyigable, in :smaller steam- vessels. from Pietou in Nova Scotia to Qu Jo; in Canada. The mails to return by the same route, twice a month to Liverpool. The contract is for seven years certain ; and the controetor is to be paid for per- forming this service at the rate of t10,otto/. per annum.— Ca nricr. The Harbour Commissioners have reported that none of the exieting harbours, front the Thames to Portsmouth, are eapehle of being con- verted into harbours for Government armed steams: rs: they therefore recommend the formation of three fresh once —one from Beaehy lleed to. Langley Point, one at the cliffs east of Margate, and one under the thlTs to the eastward of the present Dover harbour. The fresh harboure to be formed by two breakwaters, with side-piers, which will leave entrances S.W.S. and S.E., to enclose about three hundred acres, and to have six feet water at the lowest neap-tide. Mr. Enderby has fitted out an expedition for the purpose of exploring the Antarctic regions. France and the United States have recently sent out ships or discovery to the same latitudes; and it is believed that Captain D'Urville, the commander of the French expedition, has dis- covered an island to the southward of Van Diemen's Land. The expe- dition of which Mr. Enderby is the promoter will entail no expense on the English Government, while it will carry out all the views which
Government entertained when Captain Ross was sent out. The officer to whom Mr. Enderby's expedition lots been intrusted is Captain Maple- ton, a fellow-voyager with Captain Itoss.—Times.
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