Sydney, June 14th, 1854.

Steam-vessels ply between Sydney and Melbourne twice or three times a week. Of these, the “City of London” and the “Waratah” are excellent vessels, with good accommodations, and well-supplied tables. They should be so, for, compared with the charges of such vessels at home, their rate is high. Seven pounds ten shillings for a voyage, frequently done in fifty hours, is a round sum; but these vessels are generally well filled, and the charge is only on a par with the usual prices of Australia, including provisions and coals, of which latter article, I think, Captain Bell, of the “Waratah” said they burnt about thirty tons on a trip, at 6l. 10s. per ton. My lot, however, was to get, in going, into a small steamer, called the “Fettercairn,” which had an engine, apparently, of one-donkey power. The wind was dead in our teeth nearly all the way, and it was almost more than this one-donkey engine could do to make head against it. In fact, once or twice the captain despaired of getting there, and was on the point of putting about, and running back to Melbourne.

The character of this steamer was, no doubt, pretty well known to the public trafficking between these cities, for there were only two cabin passengers besides myself, and about a dozen steerage ones. Well, in about five days we had managed to plough our way thither. There was nothing on the voyage to record.