AUCKLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 57, 7 February 1852, Page 6

AUCKLAND.

Auckland a Gold Field. —Since Wednesday afternoon, our good " garrison" town of Auckland has been in a considerable state of excitement, caused by a report that gold, silver, quicksilver, and copper-had all been discovered at'Waiheki, —one of the insular adornments (possessing an area of about 100,000 acres) of our magnificent harbour. The disappointment which so recently occurred near the Bay of Islands, in mistaking iron pyrites for the. more precious metal, rendered people sceptical; and although every one was most anxious to investigate the report, the prevailing impression was to consider the news far too good to he true. We have made very earnest enquiry ; and, after balancing all the information we have been able to collect, we think we may safely assert that gold has been found. Specimens of the metal have been placed in the hands of Dr. Forbes, of her Majesty'sbrigantine v Bramble :" authenticated by him ; transmitted to Sir Everard Home, of H. M. ship '; Calliope,'"' and exhibited to his Excellency LieutenantGovernor Wynyard. These specimens are stated to have been obtained near the spots where the ships of war have been in the practice of watering. In a [e\v days we shall, no doubt, be able to afford more ample, information, both as to the situation and the probability of a mining field. It is said the Colonial Secretary was, yesterday, furnished with further intelligence on the subject from the LieutenantGovernor, now on the spot. If so, —with that secresy so characteristic of New Zealand Stale Affairs, —be has kept the intelligence comniendably dark. The public, however, must and will be enlightened ere long.— SouthernCross. Auckland Races.—The Annual Race Meeting under the regulations of the New Ulster Jockey Club took place at the old public race ground about four miles from Auckland, on' Thursday, Friday, and Saturday last, and afforded some very excellent sport. Great part of the original course having become private property, much diflictilty was experienced in marking out sufficient ground suitable for the purpose, and even after experiencing the liberality of some of the proprietors, by obtaining permission to run through their paudocks, only an indifferent course of near a mile and a'quarter could be obtained ; such, however, as it was, the most^vas made of it, through the' exertions of the Stewards, and that most efficient and indefatigable Clerk of the Course, Mr. Henry Hardington. One accident nearly attended with serious consequences did occur to Mr. D. G.'Smale, when riding Porus for the Maiden Plate. His horse, in the run home, just outside the distance, put his foot in a hole, fell heavily, and by so doing, lost him all chance of that race, but we are happy to say, it was unattended with any further serious consequences besides temporary disfigurement, and we were glad to see Mr. Smale ride and win the ensuing race. Weare also happy to state that no other accident occurred during the Meeting, which went off to the satisfaction, apparently." of all parties concerned, and was allowed to be an improvement in all respects, on any racing meeting, hitherto held near Auckland. The weather was fine, and the most perfect good order was maintained by our well regulated police, aided by the people themselves.— lbid.

IHE DkSTRUCTIOJV OF THE NoJITH PaCIFJC Whaling Fleet, confirmed. Fiftickn N ESSKLS KNOWN TO BE LOST. 11l SUCCLSS of the Fleet! [From the " Alta California "] By the arrival yesterday afternoon of the whale ship Nile, Capt. Taylor, from the Arctic Ocean, we have been placed in possession of important intelligence from the North Pacific W haling l.l e<Jtj w i licu Con |j nus the u .i s ., strmia

news of which we gave an account a few weeks since. The Nile has been unsuccessful, bringing but 500 barrels. She belongs to this port, and is owned by Messrs. Darling and Co., to whom we are indebted for a copy of Captain Taylor's interesting report, which we append— On the 17th of Aumist, the Nile spoke the ship Phillippe De la ISoyc, 750 barrels sperm oil, two whales this season. That ship reports the ship George Howland, of New Bedford, August 13lh, nothing; ship Gideon Tloroland, of New Bedford, nine whales this season; Sa-R ratoga, of New Bedford, 10th August, nothing ; '* Luminary, o Warren, nothing; Minerva, of New Bedford, 2 whales; Franklin, of,Nc^\ Bedford, 1 whale; Ilibernia, of New Bedford,""' nothing; Roman, of New Bedford, nothing; Vineyard, of Edgar Town, 1 right whale ; 17th Aug. barque Chili, Spencer, from New Bedford, nothing; ship. Junior, of New Bedford, nothing ; barque Anadir, of New Bedford, nothing.

On the same day, (Aug. 17th) the Nile also spoke the ship Condor, Kempton, of New Bedford, 5 whales this season. Tint ship reports 20th July, William Hamilton, of New Bedford, 1 whale this season ; Ocean, Providence, nothing this season: Washington, Sag Harbor, 4 whales this season : Trident, New Bedford, 1 whale ; Adeline, New Bedford, 8 whales. That ship reports, Aug. 6th, ship Montreal, Fish, of New Bedford, 2800 brls. this season ; Prince Regent, HTobart Town, nothing ; Gladiator, New Bedford, 1 whale ; Russell, San Francisco, (heard of her the 7th Aug.) no oil ; Abigail, New Bedford, 40 brls. this season ; Copia, New Bedford, 4 whales; Frances, New Bedford, 5 whales in June ; Gen. Pihe, New Bedford. 1 sperm whale, 2 right do. ; Gov. Troup, New Bedford, 1 whale early in the season ; Harvest, New Bedford, heard of, oil not stated ; Huntress, New Bedford, nearly destroyed by ice, but succeeded in leaving the ground ; Illinois, New Bedford, heard of her in July, all well ; Janet, New Bedford, '4th July, all well; oil not mentioned; City, New Bedford, in July, well ; Levi St&buck. New Bedford, Aug. Ist, 2 whales; Mary Frasier, New Bedford, July Ist, 1 whale ; Me'&com, New Bedford, July Ist, well, oil not mentioned; Midas, New Bedford, July Ist, clean; Montpelier,~Sew Bedford, middle of July, well; Monongahela, New Bedford, heard of her last July, all well, oil not mentioned ; Morca, New Bedford, middle of July, all v\ell : oil not mentioned ; Mount Wollaslon. New Bedford, July 4th, 1 whale; Robert Edwards, New Bedford, July 4th, thinks no oil this season ; Tamerlane, New Bedford, July 12th, no oil this season; Arctic, Fair Haven, July 4th, well, no oil mentioned ; Wm. Wirt, Fair Haven, last of July, 2 whales; Enterprise, -Nantucket, saw her Aug. 12; Zenos Coffin, Nantucket, Aug. Ist, well; Caravan, Fall River, had been in the ice but came out, all well, July sth ;' Catharine, New London, July 5, 1 whale ; Electra, New London, heard of her out of the ice, July 4th ; India, New London, had been in the ice, came out slightly damaged ; Bowditch, Warren, R. 1., saw her about July 23rd, thinks she had 700 bis. this season; Covington, Warren, R. 1., 2 whales last June ; Aeronaut, Mystic, heard of her, well last June ; Cincinnati, Stonington, all well, July 4th; Eacjene, Stonington, all well, July 4th ; Sheffield, Cold Spring, nothing. The following are the disasters which the Nile reports: Neiv Bedford, Captain Gray, lost on the Fox Islands, 2 lives lost. Captain Gray and survivors were taken off by ship Minerva Smith, of New Bedford. Ship Mary Mitchell of San Francisco, lost in the ice about the last ot June—she had previously sustained such damage in the ice. tinit coming in contact with a small cake -shev.siink. All hands reported saved. Ajax of Havre, lost at St. Lawrence Island. Armata of New London, lost in Behring's Straits. Cosmopolite, Havre, lost in Behring's Straits; the China, of New Bedford, took from her 900 barrels of oil ; she was then burnt. American, of New Bedford, lost in the icT. Arabella, of New Bedford, lost in the ice. &>lonian Saltan, Fall liiver, reported lost. Henry Thompson, of New Loudon, lost in the ice. The Cossack, of New Bedford, is reported lost. bix other ships are supposed to be lost in the Arctic, not having been seen or reported since going in. Captain Taylor thinks that since the Ist of June, the ships have not averaged more than 100 barrels each.