VICTORIA, (LATE PORT PHILIP.)

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 44, 8 November 1851, Page 2

VICTORIA, (LATE PORT PHILIP.)

More Gold !—Public excitement in Victoria had been wrought to the highest.pitch, bj most startling discoveries of the precious metal in every, direction and in immense quantities. We have been favoured with the following extract from a letter received here by Chares HasliEtfood, Esq., from his Brother-in-law in Port Philip. That gentleman writes—" Seriously, the discoveries are so startling, and such large fortunes have been already realised by many in the space of a few weeks, and in some instances in a single day, that a wild delirium has seized upon the whole population, and there is a general rush to the diggings from every quarter, and society is completely revolutionized. It is computed that 7,000 men are now on the ground, and that there is ground sufficient to occupy our whole population for the next fifty years! Amongst instances of splendid success I may mention one party of ten, who in five weeks, washed out UOlhs. weight. Mr. Hill's party got £80. in one day, another party £75., and many others large amounts, —almost every day we hear of great prizes, whilst every properly equipped party are clearing upwards of an ounce per man per day, and now that such splendid results have been indubitably established, fresh discoveries are being made daily. At the Broken River rich discoveries are announced to day. About 16 miles from this place, towards Western Port, a discovery has just been made which promises well, and other

localities are spoken of, so that if you cau make up your mind to return and work, you can have a prize as well as others. * * * Carters are earning SI. per day, Sailors Si. per month, and no wages will tempt mechanics; buildings are abandoned only partly finished, and sailors are deserting in numbers." Another private letter states that several of the largest mercantile houses are closed, clerks and accountants having left for the diggings.

The newspaper accounts of this -rich gold field are equally startling. The " Melbourne Daily News,'' says, "We stop the press to announce that a still larger quantity of gold has been discovered by another party of fourteen—about a hundred weight!! ." Die police are escorting at least 17,000?. worth into Geelong. " Yesterday the astounding intelligence spread like wildfire through the town, that some parties had brought in a half-hundred weight of gold! We marie enquiries, and are enabled to state that it is a fact. The parties are at Mr. Donnelly's Joiner's Anns, opposite our office. We have not seen the glittering mass, as it is sealed up, but Mr. Donnelly informed us that the reports as to the quantity of gold are quite correct. It varies in size from duck-shot to a hen's egg ! No admixture of quartz. It was collected in two days and a half, by Cavanagh's party of seven men, and the cradle was not required to separate it from the soil.

" We hear that if not purchased by Dalgetty, Gore, and Co., it will be deposited in one of the banks.

" The intelligence from Geelong is startling, and, —had we not the example of Bathurst before us—almost incredible. The excitement in Geelong, if possible, is on the increase, while the discoveries this day published in the " Daily News" will send the majority of our citizens to the diggings. The Government Gold Escort has returned to Melbourne. Messrs. Jackson Eae and Co. have received a consignment of twenty pounds weight of the precious metal."

The "Geelong Advertiser" says, "The first escort from the diggings arrived in Geelong yesterday. It consisted of an officer of the mounted police, two troopers, and two of the native police, and was accompanied by the gold commissioner. It left the diggings on Saturday morning; and although intimation was given, none of the diggers availed themselves personally of the advantage of the escort. They were, we presume, too well occupied, and few of them have yet made arrangements for sending their gold to a town agent. The officer of the police brought a few parcels, but the great bulk of the gold brought down is the property of government—the produce of the license-fees. "On Saturday night, two brothers named Cavenagh, arrived in Geelong with sixty pounds weight of gold (value 2,300/.) the produce of four week's working. The party actually averaged 100/. per day! "Up to the time when the escort left, the greatest harmony prevailed. The diggers were, with few exceptions, well contented to pay the license fee. In fact, licenses were applied for almost as quickly as they could be issued. " There ;ire many extraordinary accounts of success— such as the finding of 161b. weight in one morning, and 90/. in value from one dishful. The case first mentioned may be relied upon, but we will not vouch for the latter. The most successful party is Galloway's, who have got into a very rich hole. We have made anxious enquiries as to the probable average earnings of the whole population of diggers, but without being able to arrive at anything like an accurate estimate. The commissioner suj>poses it to be from a quarter of an ounce to two ounces, or from 15s. to 60s. for each man per day.

" The population actually at work is from 1500 to 2000. Comparing various accounts, we should say this is alow estimate, and does not include the prospecting and outlaying parties. One gentleman who left on Friday, estimates the population at 2500.

" The number of travellers on the road is very great. Between Buninyong and Richey's Inn, a distance of twenty-three miles, the escort passed 320, all bound for the diggings. The escort here left the main road ; but supposing the number to be in the same proportion between Kichey's Inn and Geelong, there is a moving population of 800 on the road. " The richest yield of gold is obtained from a stratum of blue clay, which is found at a depth of from two to nine feet. The deeper it is found the thicker is the bed. This is the case about

halfway up the side of the^ljoiing 4aws, .the whole of the strata being thenKiickeit, and the whole thinning and dying out^^the tap and towards the creek; so there is no p«>ability of finding gold in the creek when the kite's subside, except what may have been washecWown, in the course of ages, from the higher strata—that, in fact, the river gold bed, should an^i* exist, will be of a totally different character] from that which is now being worked. " Tiie commissioner, the police, and the diggers are on better terms than on their first acquaintance. We trust the former have learnt forbearance; and the latter no doubt feel the advantage of order and subordinationr" Tine officials, when they first went on the ground, did not know with whom they had to deal. They supposed that the diggers were a crowd of runaway scoundrels, that required to be overawed, instead of a gathering of the most sober and industrious of our townsmen, that were willing to conform to the laws, and pay their fair share of taxation, provided they were treated with consideration. "As yet there are few professed purchasers of gold ; but as in every other business, there is a due relation between the supply and demand. Now that more buyers are required, no doubt that more will come forward. In the village of Bathurst there are twenty or thirty advertised purchasers of gold; and in the town of Geelong, and city of Melbourne, there will soon be a proportionate number." The " Geelong Colonist" bays, " Accounts of great success are constantly arriving in town, and parties are daily leaving for the diggings. Tradesmen are fast shutting up to spend the gold season at that fashionable watering place, Buninyong. Cradles of every size and description are being- exported in the shape of bathing machines for the precious metal, and perhaps occasionally used by fond mothers after the labours of the day to wash the " darlings" in. On Saturday, the town was in a state of much excitement, consequent on a report that one man obtained 900/. worth in one day! All seem to believe in the general good fortune attendant on those who seek for gold. The numbeis at the diggings are continually increasing ; from the latest accounts there cannot be less than two thousand persons there. There is *a large quantity of gold waiting to be brought down, but of course people must submit to the inconvenience of guarding it themselves, until Mr. La Trobe chooses to send an escort. Messrs. Paterson and Dalton arrived late on Friday night from Buninyong, bringing with them some very fine specimens; the former brought gold to the value of between 6001. and 700/. It appears to us from the geological formation of the country in that locality, that a rich field of the precious metal is now opening to the colonists, which will in all probability prove far richer than California, or any similar modern discovery. MELBOUBNE PRODUCE CIRCULAB. Melbourne,' Sept. 29th, 1851. Woox,.—A few bales of slipe and greasy wool in favour of the buyers are the only transactions ; a considerable anxiety prevails as to the shearing, how, and when it will be done, owing to the gold mania having spread amongst all classes, those flocks which are well got up and sent down ready clipped for shipment will find ready buyers, whilst with others a tempting price must be held out to find a purchaser. Wool in grease, is preferable to badly washed and heavy wool. " Flour has been moving off more freely the past week, but at no higher rates ; business is quite interrupted by the great quantity of people leaving their usual occupations for the gold diggings, as consumption is going on vapil^)'» and the mills working short time. Stocks in a month's time will be greatly diminished, and gold diggers will have to leave a large portion of the gold for their next supplies; to force sales even of flour sacrifices have to be made ; we sold at auction, at 231. per ton, the fine flour, the remainder of which we have sold a'i 25/. privately for cash. if The Elections. — The Banner of Victoria says, " We are now pretty well acquainted with the materials of which our first Legislative Council is to be composed, as far as the Elective Members are concerned. The result of the elections is, on the whole, quite equal to what the most sanguine friends of the people had ventured to expect. Great good too has been done, by the jostling of principles which has i taken place. Men have begun to think, and

they will begin to act. Much has been said about a Reform Association —the sooner it is formed the better—such a step could be productive only of good. Many converts have

been gained to the right side of the Ballot question, and it is hinted that even among the late new views on this subject are entertained. Of the successful candidates for the (city, Alderman Johnston is altogether with the people, and has sound views on the questions of Ballot and State Pay to the Clergy. Mr. Westgarth is reported as having views on these subjects somewhat modified; he would, it is said, be prepared to support the general Adoption of Voluntaryism in respect to religion. The same is said of Mr. O'Shanassy. On looking over the list of Members returned, several of them men altogether untried, we can only feel that judgment ought, in their case, to be deferred—it is not well to jump at conclusions, we will give them a fair trial, and hope for the best. Who will be the Nominees of Govern -

tnent ? Will they be men of independence of mind, or stereotyped copies of the mind of Government? Will they sell the people to the

will of the Executive ? or will they, where they ought, stand up for their defence? All this lies

in the future. We wait with anxiety to know who they are to be. We do not mean that the Government and the people must necessarily be in opposition, though, knowing what we do of Downing-street and its palpable tendencies, we look for nothing less—either the one must change its practices, or the other their modes of

thought and feeling to prevent this. Bureaucratic power has usually been exercised with tyranny, but we must struggle, and will struggle, constitutionally, to be free.

Melbourne Reform Association. — A society under this title had been iormed for the general purpose of watching over the social and political interests of the people, its special ob-

jects being; the cessation of state support to religious bodies, the adoption of a national system of education, the introduction of vote by ballot, the extension of the franchise, a more just distribution of representation, and the obtaining responsible Government and the entire control of the Colonial revenue.

Railway Company.—lt appears from a prospectus just issued, that a Company has been formed, bearing the title of the "Melbourne Railway and Jetty Company." The amount of capital proposed to be raised is 16,000/., in 3,200 shares, at 51. each. The object of the company is, as stated in the Prospectus, " the formation of a Railway, with a Jetty, from Melbourne to Hobson's Bay, for the purpose of facilitating the communication and transmission of goods. It is calculated that the expenses attending the formation of the above Railway and Jetty, according to the plans and specifications prepared by the engineer of the Company, and which can be seen at the offices, cannot possibly exceed the proposed capital of 16,000/.; but should it be deemed necessary to increase the accommodation at the Pier, additional capital would be required. It is intended to solicit the Crown for a free grant of the land necessary for the undertaking, and to apply to the New House of Legislature, at their first meeting, for a Bill of Incorporation of the Company.