The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 528, 7 May 1851, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not : Let all the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1851.

California. It has always been our endeavour, so far as our opportunities of obtaining intelligence permitted, to keep our readers in possession of the condition and progress of this extraordinary country, because, in addition to the peculiar and almost marvellous circumstances which render it an object sure to command the attention of every observer of current history, it has a more immediate interest for not a few in New Zealand, some of whom have had, or still have, property to a considerable amount embarked in its commerce, while some have the still deeper interest in its affairs, which arises from their having friends and old acquaintances resident on its shores and involved in all the vicissitudes of its fortunes. By the late arrivals from Hobart Town and Sydney, we have received a number of Californian journals for the months of January and February, which — although not later in date than a few from which we compiled a summary in the New Zealander of the 19th ult., — furnish much more copious intelligence than was contained in them. Much of it is given in the usual style of Yankee journalism, — a sui generis compound of shrewdness, go-a-head dash-away enterprise, mammon-worship, egotism, dogmatism, bombast, personality and j impertinence ; but for these very reasons it is, perhaps more than in other countries, a faithful holding up of the mirror to the state of society which it professes to represent, and is not seldom relieved by the introduction of just views forcibly expressed. Our digest of that now before us must necessarily be, like the sources from which it is drawn, of a somewhat desultory and unconnected character ; but may, notwithstanding, be, so far as it goesi a correct portraiture of the " New State." The regular market reports, and numerous incidental allusions, abundantly confirm the more brief accounts which we recently published respecting the universal dulness of business, and the heavy losses sustained by importers, who were shut up to the alternative of sacrificing their goods by forced sales, or storing them at heavy expense to await the coming of better times. We need not enlarge on this subject here, as we append to this article a general Review of the San Francisco market, taken from the Alia California of the Ist of February, in which it is fully, and apparently fairly, discussed. The prevalent opinion was that the depression was only temporary, arising partly from the extravagantly large amount of importations, (in many of which a spirit of reckless adventure seems to have been combined with a remarkable ignorance of the real requirements of the market), and partly from the straitened circumstances to which the want of rain in the dry diggings had reduced the miners. A favourable reaction was looked for, although doubtless it would come too late to avert the losses, if not

ruin, of many individual speculators. Under such circumstances, we cannot but feel thankful that our exports from this town and district have lately heen chiefly in articles such as potatoes and other vegetables, Avhich being of prime necessity, are sure to command a sale, and would probably be sought after with the greater avidity fiom the scarcity of native agricultural produce resulting from the long continuance of dry weather. As respects Potatoes, the following paragraph shows how large a demand there was likely to be for them :—: — The Potato Trabe.-- Some idea may be formed of the consumption of potatoes in California, from the fact that the little town or port of Lahtina has lent vi, during the month of December, 13,076 barrels of this TPgetable. If we add to this the immense exports from Honolulu, Tahiti, the British colonies, Oregon an'l the lower coast, together with the production! of the numerous fertile and cultivated valleys in our own immediate vicinity, to what extent can we estimate the consumption }-—Alta California. We have referred in a former article to the discouragements which were presented, simultaneously with the commercial depression, in the raising of their charges by the lightermen at San Francisco, and the hardships and annoyances inflicted on ship-masters. We find in these papers complaints of a Custom House restriction which is of a yet more galling and injurious character. There is an Act in existence which requires that, after the expiration of fifteen working days, goods entering the harbour in foreign vessels shall (in order to secure the payment of the duties) be placed in actual possession of the Collector of the port, or of his deputies or inspectors. Mr. King, the new Collector, putting a more rigid construction on this law than his able and liberal-minded predecessor Mr. Collier had ever deemed necessary, has thought fit to order an actual landing of foreign goods at the expiration of fifteen days, and that they then be placed in public warehouses, or the duties paid and they stored at the expense of the importer ior consignee. The evil effects of this arrangement both to the city merchants and the importers are stated by the Aha California in an I article from which the following is an ex- [ tract : — Now, look at the operation of the enforcement of Mr. King's prder in the port of San Francisco, The goods if landed are placed in store houses, liable with their contents at any moment to be destroyed by a conflagration similar to those which have alrendy swept our city several times. The sum of six dollars for every ton must be paid for expenses of lighterage, three dollars per ton monthly for storage, and six dollars per ton again for re-shipment, in a market so fluctuating as that of California, these expenses would oftentimes auiorb the whole value of a cargo, and in some esses it would be an actual pecuniary advantage to throw the goods into the harbor immediately upon their arrival. There is a firm in this city who have now lying in the harbour one hundred thousand sacks of Chile flour. Suppose this is alt to be landed and stored upon shore. If the store house and its contents are not consumed, and the property lost, the mere entirely unnecessary expense of the landing and re shipment will amount to the snug little sum of #120,000. In the same manner will these enormous expenses be saddled upon the unfortunate owners or consignees of all foreign goods in the harbor. Now, what possible Advantage is to be derived from this course ? Goods while remaining in bond on board of a ship in the harbor, under charge of a custom house inspector, are perfectly secure. Not a board, a potato, or a sack of flour can be removed until the duties are paid upon it, and wbat advantage ctn be derived from this enormous burden of expense we cannot imagine. Under the administration of Mr. Collier it has never been found necessary, and why is it more so now ? It must be also considered that at least seven tenths of the goods entered in the harbor of San Francisco are re-shipped, and sent up or down the coast and rivers, and that it is therefore far more convenient to remove them upon sale directly from the ship's tackles. Certain it is, that if Mr. King's order be promulgated and is literally obeyed, ruin and destiuction must follow it. The extension and improvements of San Francisco are loudly praised by its journals. The Courier says " in no city of the world have such public projects ever been undertaken and completed in the same length of time, and in no city ever carried out so successfully." In confirmation of this it is stated that, within eight or ten weeks, seven and a half miles of grading, and nearly four miles of street planking have been executed, the grading requiring in many instances embankments of twenty-five to thirty feet, and in others, excavations to the same extent, — the result of the works being, not only increased facilities of communication, but a great enhancement of the value of real estate situated in previously inaccessible for business purposes. Many elegant and substantial residences had been constructed, and, adds the Courier, " Should the city continue to progress at its present rate, a year hence we can congratulate our citizens upon its being not only one of the most enterprising and commercial but the most beautiful in the world." This is pretty well in the way of complacent anticipation ; but how must it hide its diminished head before the following exquisite morccau from the Alta California ! Aquatic Building.— San Francisco bids fairtobc come a second Venice. The growth of the city into the bay has, within the past ftvi months, been astounding ; and the many advantages for commercial purposes of this mode of building will cause it to be continued, until San Franciico shall be a city upon the water. Then we can, at least, imagine ourselves gliding along the bosom of our bay in a light gondola, and gently touching our lutestrings in a serenade to our lady love, who is looking on us from the balcony ; and to render the similarity more perfect, our worthy Mayor can annually wed our broad and beautiful bay, as the Doge of Venice (locs the bright waters of the Adriatic. But, alas for romance and sentimentalism ! How does all this poetry become prose before

the stern fact that this " astounding " city is actually over head and ears in debt, and absolutely unable to meet its demands ! We confess the revelations on this subject that now come to light take us by surprise ; for although we did suspect that young California was somewhat of a spendthrift, we were not prepared to be told respecting the new State, (as we are by the Alta) that it " is fast trotting along the track of Illinois and Mississippi," and is not only " like them deeply in debt," but even "on the brink of bankruptcy;"— and of San Francisco, that " it owes one million of dollars, while its entire resources are not more than two hundred thousand dollars !" This is not a guess or rumour, but is officially stated in a Kepoit to the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, dated January 21. A sentence or two from this document will show the true state of the case :—: — " We are pained to state that after a careful examination of the liabilities of the city, and of assets at present available to meet them, we find the real condition of the finances of the city exceedingly embar. rassin?. * * The indebtedness of the city proved, on a careful examination, much greater than a majority of {the Board supposed it to be- * * From the foregoing, holders of city scrip and bills will perceire that there is no immediate prospect of realizing cash out of any means now in the possession of the city or of the Commissioners. A different statement would have been more congenial with our feelings, but we »tate the facts as we find them, and,le»vetlie matter with you"— (the "Creditors of the City" to whom the Report is addreised.) The City Scrip referred to had been issued to the amount of five hundred and fourteen thousand dollars, and was drawing interest at the rate of three per cent per month. It had so depreciated in value as to be sold sometimes for forty -five or fifty cents per dollar of the nominal worth. Moreover, the whole transaction was deemed illegal, as the Charter prohibits the City authorities from going in debt beyond the amount of the estimated revenue. Those worthies, however, like most other civic functionaries, were taking care of themselves. Referring to their voting that their own salaries should be paid, the Alta says, — Thus, in the face of the report of the city's bankruptcy, in defiance of the Mayor'g veto, these gentlemen, who hare legislated with such markfd ability in financial matters, have voted sixty-four thousand dollars more out of the city's pocket— if they can find it there — into their own 1 Can they pretend to say that they have honestly earned one fourth of that sum, or been of one tenth that amouut benefit to the city ? We candidly believe that the city would have been gainer by paying them one hundred thousand dollars to let her interest alone. Another— and apparently a serious—city difficulty had arisen on the " Squatter Question," aggravated by a decision of the Supreme Court, which we have not before us, but the effect of which seems to have been to throw doubt upon certain of the land titles, and so to encourage squatters in " recklessly taking possession without right or justice." A long narrative is given of one of the consequences. Its substance is, — a lot of ground at the foot of Sacramento-street was held by a Captain Folsom, as representative of a Mr. LEinEsnoRFF, whose estate it was. A Mr. Page coolly set his labourers to erect a building on this ground. A combat between those gentlemen and their followers ensued, both parties freely using broad axes. Captain Folsom drew a revolver and fired at Mr. Page, whose watch was shattered in his vest pocket by the ball. The bystanders then interfered, (it was full time, we think), and the matter ended by Captain Folsom and his men throwing Mr. Page's timber into the water. And such is the condition of society in this self-eulogized city ! The Alta comments on the general question of these disputes in terms worth quoting, as incidentally Illustrative of that condition : — For there are men» and they are plentiful among us, who are ready to do anything io acquire property. Nothing but legal enactments, and the fear of the r penalties, guides their action. Conscience! a sense of right and justice and honesty have been sent floating down the wind. Others there may be who believe they are right in securing to themselves a portion of the soil. And so they would be, did they do it at the expense and in defiance of the rights of no one else, , But unfortunately the standard of morality in the mat- I ter of acquiring is so low among us, that even they question only whether they can claim and hold, not if their possessing hai dispossessed one better entitled. Tbu«, under the Court's decision, every spot of earth not actually improved, becomes a battle ground, where we fear the squatter question is to be sealed in blood. The newest centre of attraction to the goldhunterg, was the " Gold Bluffs," situate about two hundred miles from San Francisco, and thirty miles north of Trinidad, — a town which, from this proximity, as well as from the excellence of its harbour and the fertility of the adjacent soil, was rapidly increasing in populousness and importance. The "Bluffs" present to the ocean a perpendicular front of from one to four hundred feet in height, and extend a distance of about six miles. A beach at their foot, from twenty to fifty yards in width, is sometimes covered with a mixture of grey and black sand, and in this black sand gold is found, which is supposed to have been washed from the Bluffs into the ocean, and then cast upon the beach by the waves. Larger quantities are said to be obtained from the rills which trickle down the Bluffs. The Pacific Mining Company claim a great portion of the beach, and had made preparations to work it on an extensive scale. The Placer Times and other representatives of the older mining districts denounced the reports of its riches as a vile fabrication ; but the tale had

laid hold of the public mind with a force scarcely equalled by any previous excitement respecting the treasures of California. "We cannot pretend," observes the Alia, "to say how many vessels, one two or three masted, steamers and propellers, are up for this new mint of nature : the very vitals of society seem unwontedly expanded, and the public heart is throbbing audibly with this new fever." A special reporter from that journal had been sent to investigate the real state of the case, and his testimony (which seems impartially given) goes far to lower the expectations raised by the assertions and affidavits of the discoverers. Intelligent miners who had been there for several months assured him that, although occasionally they found the gold very abundant, yet at other times little or none was visible. At all events, it seemed clear that, however a Company might succeed, there was no encouragement for individuals, singlehanded. He adds, The expense of reach i«g tke Gold Bluffs is nearly or quite one hundred dollars, and the coit of getting provisions there about fifty cents per pound. Even suppose they mcceed in getting large quantities of the so«called black land, without some economical method of ieparatin<r the gold it will be valueless, We taw men in the vicinity of the Bluffs, who had expended alt their means in reaching there, and arc now unable to return. It is likely, however, that no warnings such as these will deter numbers from trying their fortune in this new speculation j for the past history of the California delusion shows such an infatuation in the pursuit of gold as might lead us to question whether men possessed by it, however rational on other subjects, are not downright monomaniacs, — deaf and blind to the teachings of experience and the dictates of ordinary prudence — upon this. The relations of the whites with the Indians^ which had always been unsatisfactory, had recently become more decidedly and extensively hostile, and deeds of blood, the narration of which makes one shudder, had been perpetrated on both sides. The Americans would willingly throw the blame of originating this state of things on the Indians; but enough breaks out, even in accounts friendly to them, to show that much x)f it may be traced to their own selfish and heartless contempt for the interests and lives of the Indians, whom they seem to have regarded much as they might regard wild beasts, that were to be driven out and hunted down, whenever they stood in the way of the white man's schemes of settlement and gold seeking. The Courier observes, " We do not, however, consider the Indians the aggressors. Some white men, in a spirit of wanton cruelty, have shot them down without provocation, and thus produced a feeling of implacable hatred to the whites, which no peaceable overtures yet offered them have beenstrong enough to reconcile, and they have become desperate." Cold blooded murders on both sides, and sanguinary collisions have of late frequently taken place. The Indians entrenched in one of their villages in Mariposa, were attacked by the Americans, and driven | off with a loss of about sixty killed and many : wounded. On the other hand, about seventytwo Americans were surprised and killed by the Indians, near Rattlesnake Creek. Several 1 occurrences of the same character, though less extensively fatal, are recorded. The Indians were believed to be collected in great numbers in the mountain fastnesses desperate from an impulse of revenge, and from the pressure of starvation — (having in various instances little food but the horses and mules they can contrive to steal from the white men). The Americans were also gathering stronger force, and the old colonizing cry of " extermination" was their watch-word. The Legislature at San Jose was considering the subject, of course with a view "to the protection of the citizens" : it was proposed, however, to endeavour by treaty with the Indians in some places to bring about amicable relations ; but, we apprehend, the "free and enlightened" Americans were not much disposed to admit that the red man could have any rights at all, as against them. Turning to the collisions between the whites themselves, in the cities and "mining districts 9 we find murders and outrages of all kinds prevalent to a frightful extenjt. We had intended to notice some instances of crime, but we have not left ourselves room for the purpose at present ; and, indeed, the task would have been a revolting one. You can scarcely take up a Californian journal without meeting in every page evidences of a reckless disregard of the sanctity of human life, and of the commonest principles of social obligation which are disgraceful to human nature, and may well tend to deter all but the most heedless adventurers from choosing the Californian Pandemonium as their home. There are other particulars, — some of a more cheerful and amusing character — which at another time we may glean from these papers. The following is the Market Review alluded to in a former part of this article :—: — [From the "Alta California," February I.] Since our last semimonthly review the weather has been extremely favourable to the transaction of business ; the earlier part of the pait fortnight vras not marked by any change from the dullness that has so long prevailed throughout all branches of trade, but the market appeared to have reached tuch a stage as even to check the great sacrifices that had been daily made at auction, and we noticed a falling off in the quantities of goods offering in quarters where quite * respectable attendance of buyers had been commanded. Purchasers for the upper country, who are more nu-

merous than of late, are compelled, for the supply of their wants, to turn their attention to the regular trade ; and although we observe no geneial advance in prices, yet there is a slight improvement in some staple articles and evidently a better leeling prevailing among our buistiesa men, with at least a disposition to forwaril goods to the mme 1 ; more freely. In the absence ef any very reliable information as to the Stocks throughout the mines, we are inclined to think that the very limited demand for supplies has arisen not so much from any great surplus as from a scarcity of yield to the miners, occasioned by the want of rain in the dry diggings ; we want but rain to make the dust plenty, (an anomaly peculiar to California,) and as an immediate consequence, restored activity to all branches of trade. Agriculture, too, feels this want seriously, and the effect upon our grain and provision markets is beginning to be felt. The crops, if we may use the term with reference to our great staple, threaten to be short, and although tlie standard value of the production will not be enhsnred by any partial failure, yet it will require more of exchangeable com* tnodities to be bartered for it. It is an axiom of commerce that the ebb and flow of the tides are not more immutable in their laws than the action and reaction of trade, and although the California market has been supplied from almost »1I quarters of the globe, and its wants at the same time hut little understood, yet it is reasonable to suppose that indiscriminate adventures in this direction will receive such a check from their unfortunate result a? to have a very favourable effect in future; fortunately the losses to shippers' are so widely diffused as to bear with no great force upon any particular section, and more fortunate still, the prevail* ing cash system has prevented a crisis in our commercial affairs, from which we would have been some time in recovering. The great bulk of our supplies is undoubted'y derived from the other side of Cape Horn, yet there are ports more adjacent to us from which we import to a considerable extent, and their merchants will be the first to cease adding to our overstocks. The experience acquired by all parties interested during the past six months, will have a tendency to induce more caution in future. The more frequent and rapid mail communication with the eastern States which we now Lave, will enable our friends at home to be better apprised of our wants, yet for the present we must look forward to the arrival of many vessels that had sailed before advices reached them of the decline occurring in December. The commerce of California lias not yet afforded any lengthy experience upon which to hftzatd conjectures as to prospects, but with the lights before us we 6ee nothing to induce us to suppose that we shall have any general improvement in prices to report in our next, although we may confidently look for more activity ere long. The high figure which, gold dust has commanded within a few days is to be attributed to a variety of causes: the difficulties in the way of the miners to which we have before alluded, tha reduced expense of remitting, and the proposed operation in a few days of the U. S. Assay office Should the assayers be able to couvert the dust into ingots as rapidly as and to the extent required by the wants of our commercial community, all business relations will be benefited thereby while at the same time a complete change must take place from the old manner of remittance, and the great «xport of California, the gold which she produces in return for the goods of all countries, become a merchantable commodity, and pass into the kands of those who have had the foresight to make such arrangements as will enable them to control it. Bread Stuffs— We have had a steadily declining marks t ; we have a stock on hand, held by the Flour Company and others, equal to the consumption of the State for two months, at least, if we had not an arrival of a sack. It appeirs that in the eaily part of the fall, purchases were made of ell the Flour that the Company should receive for a certain period. This object being attained, the Flour Company were powerlesshaving none to sell — the weather in Chile became unfavorable for loading ships in watting. The receipts became moderate ; the parties who made the purchases from the Company acting in concert, put Flour up -, and every influence was used to further the idea that we were almost on the eve of a famine; and then purchasers were enabled to work off the most of their Flour at high rates, before any considerable quantities came into market, that was not under their control. These high prices caused all ports on the Pacific to send any overplus they might have ; and now being well stocked and certain of future arrivals, the reaction is severe, which is most felt by the largest holders. The second purchasers having mostly relieved themselves of their purchases, and now the probability is that very low prices will rule — the other extreme being likely to follow for a while. Boots and Shoes— Of these articles we have an evcrstock, and they aie selling at a loss. Lumber— No change to note of importance ; tho feeling if anything is better. Blankets— Very dull Coal — Perfectly nominal, as great sacrifices are made. In selling for freight, a cargo was sold at <$7 50, of good Cumberland, under the hammer. Coffee— There is more inquiry, and an improvement noted. Clothing — An overstock. Lime— Extremely dull. Cement—A shade better. Cigars— Stock large, and prices lower. , Domestic^— Selling at about invoice cost. Hardware: — Cannot be sold except by retail, to any advantage. India Goods — Moderate demand. — Fair business, no great change. Metals— Dull. Wails— An overstock. Provisions— But a slight improvement. Sugars — More firm. Teas— Moderate supply, at quotations. Seamen's Wages— #2o to $25, Vessels— Dull.

Bible Meeting.— lt will be seen by our advertising columns that the Annual Meeting of the Auckland Branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society will be held in the Presbyterian Church this evening. We believe the regular time for the Anniversary was in February, but it was postponed in the expectation that Sir George Grey, the Patron of the Association here, would preside on the occasion. During his Excellency's recent visit to Auckland, a Deputation from the Committee had, by appointment, an interview with him on the subject. Sir George expressed a warm interest in the object, and an entire willingness to comply with the request \ but the unavoidable shortness of his stay precluded the possibility of his doing so this year, unless the Meeting could t be postponed until his return to Auckland some months hence. Under these circumstances, an old and steady friend

of the Society, Alexander Shepherd, Esq., Colonial Treasurer, will again occupy that position. Several Ministers and laymen of different religious denominations are expected to lake part in the proceedings ; and we trust that there will be such an attendance as will manifest an interest on the part of the community generally in so noble and catholic a work as the circulation of the Scriptures in their purity and completeness, without note or comment of human-—and therefore fallible-

interpretation. Tea Meeting. —On Monday evening a Tea Meeting was held in the Primitive Methodist Chapel as part of the Anniversary celebration of the Sunday School in connexion with that place of worship. The Rev. R. Ward presided. About one hundred persons were present ; appropriate addresses were delivered by the chairman and some of the friends of Christian instruction; and the whole passed off, it is hoped, not only agreeably, but also in a manner conducive to religious edification. Mechanics' Institute.—The delivery ef the Rev. T. Buddles Second Lecture on " The Aborigines of New Zealand" was again unavoidably postponed yesterday evening, in consequence' of torrents of rain with thunder and lightning about the appointed hour. It is now fixed for Monday evening next, when we trust there will be no further cause of disappointment.