The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-08-10 00:00:00

AMERICA.

THE New GOLD Dicooveente.—Though it Is too
early to 'petiolate generally upon the effects of the
Fraser River discoveries, some of the results may be
predicted with reasonable certainty. Assuming that
the mine, in that region an equal to any found in Call•
fornia—and that they are richer cannot be 'unposed—
they will allure for the time almost the entire gold-dig•
ging population of North America. Novelty has its at-
traction., awl the lucky strikes expected to be made In
unexplored platen are proving an irresistible tempta-
tion to the Californian miners, multitudes of whom will
doubtless meet with disappointment, and regret having
left California. But these are after considerations.
Fraser River first and repentance afterwards will be the
order of proceedings. At the date of our latest advioes
some 10,000 or 12,000 men had gone north, and the
present summer will witness the departure of four times
as many. Manifestly the Interior of California will sae
hard tunes. The desertion of its mines will dry up the
business of the inland towns completely. What then
will be the destiny of San Francisco? Must it share
the fate of the smaller 'daces? We think not. San
Francisco is the Nsw York of the Pacific. It Is the
only large commercial city on that aide of the conti-
nent. For many years It can have no rival. It li. most
favourably situated for supplying every portion of the
legion west of the Rooky Mountains, and has already
the trade of the P 40410 coast In its hands. We see no

reason why it should not hold substantially the same re-
lation to the mining diatricts of Framer River as to those
of California, subject only to the duties which the
British Government may impose upon import'. The
supplies for the use of the miners must and do go from
8 m Francisco, and they can be derived from that port
more advantageously than from any other. The only
point which is mentioned as a pumible rival in thin trade
is Victoria, • British town of small size, anil trailing
post of the Hudison's Bay Company, situated on the
southern extremity of Vancouver's Island. It Is nearly
opposite the mouth of Fraser River, which falls into the
Gulf of Georgia, separating Vanoouver's Island from the
mein land ; Victoria is ill latitula 49'21 deg., • little
south, as will be seen, of the line dividing our territory
from the British, its insular position preventing it from
falling within the limits of Washington territory. It is
the expectation of the English eventually to make this
an important town, and the centre of their commerce
on the north-west coast, which design will, of oonrse,
receive a strong impetus from tlie recent gold discoveries.
Vancouver's !island hi regarded as the most inviting por-
tion of the British possessions in that quarter. It is
nearly 300 miles long and about 60 in breadth. Its
climate and moil are said to be fine. In times it will
doubtless beociine an important settlement, particularly
In case the gold hold, out at Fraser River. But the up-
building of a large commercial city is the work of years.
It was so even in the ease of San Francisco, the marvel
of whose growth is not likely to be repeated west of the
Rooky Mountains. It may be concluded, we think,
that the business and prosperity of San Francisco will
not be injured, but, on the oontrary, advanced, by the
new gold exeitement New York l'imes. •
THE COINAGE OP ENGLAND AND THE UNITED
STATEB.—The following is a copy of a joint resolution
of the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States, respecting the appointment of • suitable
person to confer with proper functionaries in Great
Britain with regarl to some plan for the mutual ar-
rangemint or the coinage of the two countries, so that
hereafter their units simoll be easily and exactly com-
mensurable :—" Resolved, by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Con-
gress aiweinbleil, that the Secretary of the Treasury be,
and he is hereby, authorized mid directed to appoint
some imitable person as agent or oominissioner to confer
with the proper funationaries in Great Britain in re-
lation to some plan or plans of so inatnally arranging on
the .lechnal Mode the coinage of the two countries as that
the respective units:shell be thereafter really and exactly
commensurable, and to embody the result of such con-
ference in. statement Anil report, to he laid before Con-
gress as early RX practicable ; and that the compensation
of said agent or commissioner shall not exceed 5,000
dollars in full for hie services and expenses." This was
approved on the 20th of February, 1358.