The New-Zealander.
Be just ami fear not : Let all the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Tuith's.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1850.
By the Emma, which arrived a few hours after our last number was put to press, we have received intelligence from California to so late a date as the beginning of February. It had been brought by the Ajax, which left San Fran cisco on the 3rd of that month. Any news coming from the " Land of Gold" would enlist attention here at present ; but the intelligence now before us has an importance which the least intererested observer of current history will acknowledge. A short time ago we recorded the destruction of a considerable portion of San Francisco by fire; we have now to record the sweeping away of a large part of Sacramento city by a flood. The details of this occurrence will be found iv our other columns — ■ together with a variety of extracts which (knowing the engrossing hold which California has upon many minds) we copy entire, instead of merely summing up the facts in this department of our paper. Those extracts will tell their own tale. They will exhibit a scene of desolation at Sacramento resembling, only on a smaller scale, what we may suppose to have been presented at the Universal Deluge. There is so graphic a description in the Alta California that we introduce it here :—: — We had hoped that the waters, which were not materally rising when our last accounts were dated, would abate, but their course was " onward onward ." Inch by inch they insidiously rose, until the streets ran rivers and the whole banks of the river were covered with the rushing flood. Those who were damping in tents gathered up what they could lay their hands upon and fled to the higher ground. Alarm and panic spread upon every side, aud no means to check the dire and dread calamity could be devised. On swept the tide— -merchandise of all descriptions was borne away in the mighty rush, and still it poured on. The terror of an universal flood was apparent to the minds of all, and every exertion was made to reach . a place of safety with what necessaries of life were obtainable. The excitement and confusion is represented to us as almost indescribable and heartrending in the extreme. A small but characteristic incident is, that, amidst this desolation, there were industrious gold-hunters, true to the Californian instinct, diligently (and, it is said, successfully), searching for the bits of the idol that had been washed into the streets by the flood. Gold, however, abounded, as usual in the country, Ami numbers were flocking, even
in the midst of winter, to seek it, There were the greedy svrallowers of the golden bait. .And theie were also those who, when it was too late, felt the hook concealed under the glitleiing temptation. Sixty deaths per week in San Francisco may be regarded as a staitling mortality, rivalling in proportion to the population, the worst choleya districts in London during the height of the disease ; but, that no less than twenty- three out of sixty should be buried as paupers— (the' Sydney Herald assures us that private accounts state the fact) — casts a melancholy, but a truth-ieveal-ing light — if men would only see it — on this dazzling but deceptive adventiue. Dying men do not always speak the truth ; but they generally do : and we cannot doubt that the lvretched suicide, the account of whose fatal deed we copy, not only expressed his own feelings but also the feelings of many others. The miserable man says, "Ijjhave committed this awful act rather than die a lingering death by starvation." He very touchiugly refers to his home, where were his " father" and his friends, and adds, "I have striven hard — God knows how hard — to get an honest living, and can't, so have only to die." This is true eloquence ; nature's eloquence, which, however we may and must abhor the dreadful guilt of selfmurder, yet dims the eye and wrings the heait. But will it reach the] heart — will it open the eyes — of emigrants to California ? We fear it will not. We. are justified in that fear by experience which we are not stoical enough to legard with other emotions than those of deep sorrow. We observe with regret that the "Price Current " does not hold out as flattering a prospect to the exporters of our own staple commodity — timber, — as we could wi&h, and as we had anticipated. But we would not have them discouraged. The date at which the list was made out was in the depth of winter, when building was unavoidably retarded by the severity of the season ; and moreover, the conflagration at San Francisco had induced a preference for bricJc erections, which, however, we are sure, there was nothing like a sufficient supply of bricks to meet ; and the " go-ahead " American speculators would not be likely to wait, but would most probably at the opening of spring readily return for the time to wooden houses. We see nothing in this report to chill the expectation that the cargoes of Ne*r Zealand produce now on their way to California will obtain a price which, although it may not make the exporters rich in a day, will be fairly and fully remunerative. What more than this can a really conscientious man desire ?
It will lift seen on reference to oar Advertising columns that the Committee appointed at the Public Meeting on the subject of the Waikato Coal, which was held some weeks since at the Mechanics' Institute, have invited the inhabitants of the town and its vicinity to meet them at the Royal Exchange Hotel on Monday next, when they will lay before them such information as they have been able to obtain. The collection of this information was their " limited service" : to the performance of the duty they have peiseveringly addressed themselves through both evil and good report : and it only remains for them now to communicate to the public the results of their inquiries — to be acted on or not as that Public may think right. The llepoit which will be presented to the Meeting on Monday exists as yet only in the rough draft ; — but we have leasott to know that it will be substantially to the following effect. In addition to other modes of investigation, the Committee have employed a practical and experienced miner to visit the Waikato Coal district, from whom they have further testimony not only as to the existence of good coal in very large quantities, but also as to the facility with which it may be procured without much preliminary cost, and raised at a low rate per ton. The coal has been found cropping out in five places in the immediate neighbourhood of Kupakupa. There is good reason to believe that the seams are of gieat thickness in these localities. The distance to the water's edge does not exceed seven hundred yards, and from some points is consideiably less. The Committee have ascertained that Coal is also to be fonnd in several other places, at distances of from three or four to seventeen miles from Kupakupa in one direction, and to about forty miles in another. It was not thought necessary, however, to send the miner to those places — that to which we have referred being the most suitable for immediate working. There (at Kupakupa) the miner worked to the depth of six or eight feet, and found that the coal improved greatly in quality as he proceeded. A portion of coal from the lower part of the working was tried in a common grate, and afforded an excellent fire, which lasted, without being replenished, for several hours. This statement only confirms the judgment formed by the Committee from the trials of the coal made by themselves. It may be added that coke, apparently of an excellent quality was produced from the coal. The essential matter of the expense of conveying the coal to the market here has engaged much of the attention of the Committee. The satisfactory result at which they have arrived is that, in all probability, it VA.n\evm at present, be delivered in Auckland at twentyfour or twcnty-fiYe shillings per ton ; but if a
steady and extensive trade were established* there can he no doubt that it could bo prociued at a considerably lower price. An impoitant fact is that — deducting the cost of conveyance from Manukau Harbour to Auckland from this sum— it is believed that the coal can be delivered on board ship in that harbour at from twelve to thirteen shillings per ton. Having stated these facts, the Committee will probably suggest, — as to what appears to them the best mode of rendering this valuable product beneficially available — some such preliminary plan as that a subscription list be opened for the purpose of bringing into Auckland a given quantity— .say one hundred tons — of the Waikato Coal— the cod to be distributed to the several subscribers in proportion to the amount of their respective subsciiptions ; and that a Committee be appointed by the meeting on Monday to carry that plan (should it be resolved upon) into effect. We lay this interesting statement before the public without commenting upon it to-day. The Ilepoit of the Committee is, as A\e have intimated, still under consideratioa. The foregoing, however, are the main points in the draft drawn up by a Sub-Committee appointed for the purpose; and (it is perhaps right to say) we publish the statement with their sanction — although we are entirely responsible for the manner in which it is conveyed. They have no object in view which could tempt them to take the public by surprise. Any canvassing of the subject which this earty announcement may jiroduce we are sure will only gratify them, provided it be fair, ingenuous, and free fiom personal or political animosities.
Publicans' Licenses. — At the Sitting of the Justices of the Peace, this day, at the Resident Magistrates Court, the following decisions took place :—: —
The Band of 11. M. 58th Regiment, by Hie permission of Lieut.-Col. Wynyard, C.8., will perfoim in the Grounds in front of the old Government House on to-morrow evening from half-past three till half-past five o'clock. IMIOGRAMMIS. Grand Overture— Op. «' *Ban dc Paria".. .. Boiddicu Melange Op. " I Lombard! " Vcid« Clioius Triumphal. . Op. '• La Vestule" . . Mercadante Aria "Pro Peccatis" fStabat Mater).. Rossini Waltz 4I Le Bouquet ltoyalo" Jullicn Quadrille " The Swiss" Jullicn Polka " Les Belles dv Nord" Herz Ballad " The Light of other days" Balfe Ballad " The Last Adieu" Bnlte
P.irlington, Gcoi-rc Queen's Aims Inn Stoiey, Samuel T. Auckland Hold ltobeitson, Peter Ulue Dell Vcrcoc, JJijnnt Caledonia Hotel Tutty, William Lundon Tavein Hoop, John I'.oyal Aich Hotel MitUiow ,T,vm t Thi. Uuii JJulluigham, -\Vin. Cmtcibury Inn JJacon Willuun, Oi'd Fellows' Aims Smilii, Gcoigc Half-way House ■\Vubii, Joso]>li Mount Eden Inn Kellyi Edwaid Waterloo Hotel (luccn-stiect ttueen-stieet ftueen-btiept Toit-strect Shoilland-stioei. Queen stieet (iiiot-ii-.)iin.!, Wyndliam-slrcct Cli.iiu'ciy-s tiect Ephom ]\tount Eden Onehunga
LICENSES REFUSED.
Names. Sign of Home Sticcli, &.c Hunt, Kichard J. Masonic Hotel Funcoi,- ,Ut}(it if.irdwglon, Ileniy E\cli<uige Hotel Shmll.uid-.slreet N.illi.in, Ikury Russell Wine Vaults Shoill.iml stieet M'G.iivey, AVm Ti,ifali?ai Inn (iuccn-slicct Dennett, William Dnkc ol M.ulborough Uuccii-sticet Lochcad, James Union Uotul Queen stieet llogeis, W. L. Gicyhound (iiiocn sticct Rheelian, David Ctown and Anchor West Uueen-stroo Dign.ui, Patiick Cl.mricaidu Hotel Lou ci Albert site Levy, Solomon 11. Victona Hotel J>'«rt stieet Thoni])son, lloucit Osprey Inn High slieet Joy, Allied C. Mason's Home Official Js,iy raitington, Edwd. White JIaH Hotel (Jneen hlicct Johnson, Thomas Windsoi Castle Parnell Tinner, fi. E. Tlic Royal Geoige Kemuoia Tje, William I'iincc Alhcit Inn Epsom Norman, b.nnucl New Leitli Inn OiiLhung.a Geoiije, ]{(lw,ud Koyal Hotel Onchimga Folcj, iiilwaul Sir George Gicy Inn Otahuhu
LICENSES GRANTED,
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New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 418, 17 April 1850, Page 2
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1,975The New-Zealander. New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 418, 17 April 1850, Page 2
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