27th June, of i jorgan has attained, the June i: reaching thirty-eight pages, of which sixteen are devoted to the news of the colony, ten to the Official Gazette, and twelve to advertisements. We have got so used to finding the first and second pages of the /ferald devoted to continuation of the account of Mineral Exploration in British North lion banks, the 2 South African banks Borneo," that it is with almost a pang which are known in London, 6 Indian we read that the June instalment is the banks, 6 South American and 23 Cana-! conclusion of the account. The last dian banks, of which only two are much expedition, under Captain Beeston, was known in England and only one has its finally thwarted by actual starvation, headquarters in London. The shares the party for four days having nothing of the Canadian banks, unlike those of to eat but a small handful of a certain the other colonies, are almost entirely root; then four fish were caught and held in Canada. The list of banks is equally divided; three days more of as wader Starvation followed and then two small Paid-up Capital. fish were caught. 'I'o add to their anxiety, ish, &e., balks £ 58,000,000 10 Scotch banks socstesee 9,000,000 [they had no matches, and the fire had 9 Irish banks 7,000,000 to be watched night and day to secure its not going out.
Then relief arrived, 3 70,000,000 Australasian banks 17,150,000 and the party got back to a settlement Canadian banks 11,500,000 quickly as they could. The conelusion is that there is gold in the upper 4 00,000 Waters of the rivers; but the deposits [are practically inaccessible at present, 197 100,000 though it appears to us that access The following age divid-would have been gained to them before end returned on this capital this, if it were at all probable that the Per et. gold is to be found in payable quantity. 111 English, &¢., banks 11.2 Meanwhile a London company has Scotch banks 9 Irish bank: been formed which has received large concessions and is sending out suitable Average for the United Ki appliances, and the Jerald says that 30 Australasian banks h the advent on the scene of this 23 Canadian banks south African banks company there cannot but ensue a revival of the mining industry"; and we 6 South American banks Vhe dividend of the English banks hope that it will not be disappointed. The general notes which follow the would have been equal to that of the opening article are mostly of local Scotch, but for the lange capital of the linterest. Certain tobacco estates are Bank of England, which reduces the in vigorous preparation for the opera-average, while the Irish banks are tions of 1890, and all weather indica-helped by the Bank of Ireland. The tions point to a successful season, which Tndian banks come out worst, which the is greatly wanted after the abnormal Heonomist attributes partly to their tains of 1889. The diftiewlty with dealing in a depreciated currency, and tobacco-growing in North Borneo is that pal to their having been subject of the climate is not yet known, nor does to more considerable average it,'as so far observed, appear to be a es than the other companies. The regular one like that of Sumatra. The Hongkong wud Shanghai Bank, we tobacco estates, Dutch and English, in notice is treated asa "foreign bank with j Maruda Bay have been shipping, and London office." "OF these there are! news of sales is shortly expected. It eighteen, and only ove, the London and will be remembered that some time since it was reported that the Sultan of Brunei had sold Jarge tracts of land to "Singapore gentlemen," and their ere-duality was somewhat mocked at the time. We read here that after paying for the land, the buyers have sent an experienced planter to look at it, who reports that there are not five hundred acres fit for tobacco cultivation. The youthful sportsmen of Sandakan are enjoying themselves in the somewhat dangerous amusement of shooting wild pig at night in the suburbs of the town, which the porkers are frequenting in great numbers. The Herald rather plaintively hopes that "a stray shot will not fetch some unhappy resident." A new industry for the colony is proposed, the government being in correspondence with some of ¢|the West Australian pearl fishers, and offering them certain concessions if they will bring up a fleet of schooners to fish the east coast of North Borneo during the Australian winter. "Not only the mother of pearl shell of very fine quality," says the Herald, "but also the real pearl oyster have been found off our east coast, but neither variety is regularly fished: both inhabit deep water and none of the natives understand dredging."
Sandakan was very gay on the Queen's Birthday, for the Wanderer, Capt, Gifford, was there, and there were sports of all kinds, aquatic and terrestrial, for all nationalities and ages. Only the buffalo rx was a failure. "One buffalo had it all his own way. He occupied three men, two ropes, two sticks, and a tail-twister the best part of the morning in getting him to the course, and kicked up such bobbery there that the others wouldn't come at all." We are quoting from the government organ, and the occasion 10 doubt excuses the frivolity. Then there was a ball at Government House at: tended by about sixty people, at which the Captain China joined in Sir Roger de Coverley. A week later the Wanderer gave a most successful concert followed by theatricals.
But we must return to graver matters, Among the notifications in the Oficial Gazette will be found the Regula-tious for the guidance of the Chinese Advisory Board, Sandakan, an institu: tion which is to discharge the functions of a Guild, and which ought to greatly assist the Governor in his control of the rapidly increasing Chinese population of the colony. The Acting reasurer-General hands in the Return of Foreign Trade for 1889 as compared with 1888, for the whole colony. The figures are 1889. 1888. Imports 1799,620 $1,261,998 Exports "TOL434 "525,876
Total... $2,501,054 81,787,674
The figures are satisfactory; but it may be noticed that the increase in the imports is chiefly in stores of all kinds and building materials for the plautations, &e. Tobacco has come well to the front as the main article of export, the comparative figures being—1886,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.