CALIFORNIA.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 391, 12 January 1850, Page 3

CALIFORNIA.

One of the most significant evidences that California does not realize the expectations with which enthusiastic emigrants throng to its shores, is found in the fact that — although some undoubtedly achieve great success, — yet so many after having " tried their fortune" there, are anxious to return to their homes, and actually do return — often with disappointed hopes and shattered physical constitutions. The departure of no less than three hundred passengers from San Francisco by a single vessel (the Oregon) as stated in our last, is an instructive and monitory circumstance ; for, we apprehend, only a small proportion of these left the gold regions because they had so slaked fcheir thirst for gold as to desire no more : the majority, it is reasonable to believe, came away because they could not attain the object of their pursuit, or fled to save their lives from the sickness which prevailed. This view is strengthened by the perusal of letters which have just been received by a resident in Auckland from a friend of his who was formerly one of our own townsmen, and who, we cannot question, has written his own experience of California with truth and fairness. A few sentences from these communications will show their general purport and tenor. The writer says, under date "Sacramento City, Sept. 9, 1849,"— « I cannot send you much good news of this country, there is such a quantity of sickness in it. There is plenty of gold to begot, if you have good health ; but your health is so uncertain in this country, and the Doctor's bills so expensive, that if you make money, and fall sick, the Doctor will soon have the whole. * * I intend to go to the mines before I leave this country, but the fast few months have been so sickly that vtry

few have been able to work at the mines. But the weather is getting cooler, and it will not be so unhealthy ; but I am frightened that the winter will be too cold for our houses, as they are most of them timber frames covered with canvas, and ground floors, so that you may judge they will not be very warm. However, I must make the best of it for a little while now, till I get a little more dust." Again, on the 29th of September, the same writer advises his friends,—" If you are doing well, do not come to California. This is a very unhealthy country, particularly where lam stopping. There is plenty of gold to be had, but when you see so much sickness the gold does not balance it. There are no men looking as well in this part of California, as in other countries ; they look sickly one and all. I expect you will soon see all the New Zealanders back again. If nothing happens myself, I intend to come back. There are plenty of men doin? well here digging gold, and plenty doing nothing,— hardly making their food, for provisions are very high at the mines. It was true enough what was put in the papers about California, for Pork and Flour are one dollar per lb., at the present time at the mines ; and other things in proportion. Hundreds of men ruin themselves by coming to this country ; for if they do not go into business, the only resource is the mines, and in many cases they fall sick, and then they are miserable and destitute, without a home and without a friend. This is the worst country in the world to be without money, for you can get nothing without it." These homely statements from a person who sees and feels what he describes, merit the serious consideration of intending emigrants. It is a hazardous enterprise, and before they engage in it they should well count the cost. In one of the latest London papers which have reached us (the Weekly Times of August 26,) we find anjarticle on the subject concluding with the following warning which may be taken as a specimen of the views of California now entertained by very many in England. Amidst all the diversity of opinion that existi upon the subject of the •• Digging!," there is one point on which all competent authorities leem to agree,-—viz. the inexhaustible supply of gold within the limits of the California territory ; but, at the tame time, the fact is inconteitible, that the labour required for its acquisition, though of a more practiaable kind than nny hereto applied for such a purpose, is so trying, serious, and U&certain, as to render it a formidable drawback upon any actual realisation of the precious metal. Thus according to the latest intelligence from the " placers," a good dsy*s work will not produce, in the preient inflated state of the market for necessaries, more then a fair day's subsistence. The labourer may collect enough gold to cover the day's expenses ; but he cannot, except under peculiar circumstances, calculate upon the acquisition of more. There are, of c mrie, exceptions; but, when divested of the marvellous, this feetns to be the naked fact. If we are to credit the report* in the American journali, the whole of the North Pacific is swarming with ships and cargoes from every port in the ocean ; and the harbour of St- Francisco is already inadequate to shelter the arrivals. Wages are enormous, and seem to be calculated upon the revenues of a German or Italian principality, rather thtn as an equivalent for services. Sailors obtained £30 a month, mates £50, and captains £701 Cleiks obtained their £800 per annum, and their board. An hole! in said to be tin* derlet for £9000 a year, but a portion of this moderate rent is made up by judiciously letting off a small appartment for a tap at £200 a month ! One gambling room lets for £3500 a year, two smaller ones for £1200 each. A grand cafe is calculated to produce one dollar a minute as its average receipts per annum. Now assuming only a very until portion of these statements to approximate o the truth, it is very evident that, upon such a scale of monetary transactions, a mere gold hunter would need to realise an enormous amount of the precious metal before he could expect to pay honestly even for thi mere necessaries required for his daily subsistence. The truth is, that amidst all the misrepresentation, and in spite of the glowing colours with which every thing connected with the " Diggings" is transmitted to us, two facts are cletrly established— the markets ia California are swamped with goods, and gold district is overcrowded with men ; and it is well we should here echo the warning that has more than once been given by those Boost capable of guiding public opinion in this matter, and by which we are told that, " although success in this speculation is by no means certain to confer even a competence, a failure will inevitably entail utter ruin." The " Diggings" are not the places for the honest and well-intentioned emigrant; and we heartily coincide with those of our contemporaries who most strenuously dissuide enter* prise from being diverted into a channel where success is barely possible* and failure all but certain.

Military Festivities. — Yesterday, by the kindness and liberality of Lieut.-CoI.WvNYARD, and his Officers, the men of the 58th Regiment not only enjoyed a day of relief from all but necessary duty, but were hospitably entertained in the grounds of Albert Barracks. Various athletic exercises and other manly sports were engaged in with spirit, and prizes were given to those who acquitted themselves best. Tents were erected for the accommodation of ladies and other inhabitants of the town, who witnessed with pleasnre the enjoyment afforded by the arrangements, to this gallant and esteemed regiment. The day — which altogether passed off most agreeably and satisfactorily, — was observable as being the anniversary 'of the taking of Ruapekapeka, on which occasion, as well as throughout the war, of which it was the close, the services of the 58th were such as deserve to be kept in remembrance.

Irish Representativr Peer aox. —George John Danvers, Earl of Lineiborough, hai been chosen by a majority of votes to be the Peer to sit in the House of Lords of the united kingdom, in the room of John Earl of Mayo, deceaicd.