The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-25 00:00:00

BRITISH COLUMBIA.

(ram a CMULESPONDINT.)
VANCOUVER ISLAND, Saar. 22.
In my last letter, dated 2nd June, I gave it as
my opinion that the colony was " not prepared to
receive any more emigrants with small means during
the present year." Its truth has been abun-
dantly verified, and at present (to say
nothiug of those already on their way) several
hundreds of tine fellows from England, inured
to hard work and without capital, will have
to go through a very rough novitiate of labour to
support themselves during the winter. Would it
were otherwise, but sswjna est writes. Work of the
roughest kindcan always be had : for instance, wood-
cutters—i.e., those who will cut a tree down and
split it into the required lengths for household
purposes—and day labourers can at the present
time make their two dollars a-day ; but then these
and other descriptions of labour require an appren-
ticeship to the business, and fresh arrivals from
England are of course unable to undergo it. The
Tynemouth, after a fine passage, arrived here on
the 18th, bringing a very vared freight, viz.,
domestic servants, lady governesses, and young
Englishmen. Immediately on the news of her
arrival, all the bachelors in the place posted down
to refresh their unaccustomed eyes ,with the sight
of the young ladies, and many were prepared, as I
heard, to make matrimonial engagements on the
spot. The poor fellows were, however, doomed to
disappointment, not being allowed to go on board.
Her Majesty's gunboat Forward steamed alongside
the following day, and conveyed the young women
and their baggage round to Victoria, where they
were comfortably settled in a building prepared by
the local committee for their reception. By to-
morrow nearly all the servants will be dispoeed of,
and distributed amongst the applicants, being
selected by the committee according to their quali-
fications and requirements. Although the steamer
touched at San Francisco, they were not allowed
to land, and fortunately so, for all kinds of cruel
and deceptive inducements would have been
pressed upon them to leave, and remain in Cali-
fornia. It is satisfactory to be able to state that
the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Scott, who accompanied
them front England and sedulously watched over
their wellbeing, speak highly of their conduct on
board. The wages they have obtained vary from
15 dole. to 25 dole. per month. When these girls
get married, as they will of course, we hope our
kind friends at home, to whom the colonies owe
their grateful acknowledgments, will send us
another batch ; but pray, good people, do not for
the present force lady-governesses on our charity.
The state of society here is not advanced enough
as yet to enable us to provide comfortably for
them, and I fear that the majority of
those who have just arrived will either
be obliged to descend to mere drudgery, or
be 'induced to contract doubtful marriages. It is
absurd for either English ladies or gentlemen to
come to these colonies unless they bring capital
with them, or are willing to descend to rough hard
work. In a place where money is worth front 18
to 24 per cent., it is needless to say that persons
with money will do well, and if a single man has
literally nothing to do at home, and no prospect but
that ofliving on his friends, let him by all means
come—rough work will prove a wholesome prepa-
ration for life, and bring with it much good.
Now for a word about the mines. During this sea-
son but few new diggings have been struck, owing to
the scarcity and high price of provisions preventing
most miners, except those with capital, from re-
maining sufficiently long to " prospect," or make
discoveries. The old claims have, however, proved
extremely rich, and several of their owners, who
made one fortune last autumn, will have made
another this summer. Large numbers have re-
turned, many of whom will return in the spring.
Our faith in the wealth of the country is un-
diminished, but I believe that 1864 will prove even
more prosperous than 1863 is likely to be, as till
then the roads to the mines will not be com-
pleted in thorough efficiency. Great exertions
have been made by the government of British
Columbia in this direction, and already the price
of provisions at the mines is one-half less than at
the commencement of the season. I must repeat
what I said in • former letter, that gold-mining
requires, like other trades, a long apprenticeship of
labour, and that nuggets are no more to be had in
Cariboo for the picking up, than in the Strand.
Mining is not, as I have seen it stated by the Tunes
correspondent, " a lottery in which there are no
blanks ;" on the contrary, it is a lottery where the
few prizes are not to be gained but by bard work
and rough living. We want men who will develop
the resources of the colonies in other ways also,
especially in agriculture. Almost all farm pro-1
duce is imported from Oregon and California. Our
lumber trade is only just commenced, and no finer
timber exists anywhere in the world. lam proud
to see that it obtained a prize at the Exhibition.
Our fisheries have not been touched.
The Cyclone, from London, and another ship
from Australia, came in yesterday, together bring-
ing nearly 300 passenger! ; and I fear that the
exaggerated accounts which were published in the
Times and elsewhere have induced many to leave
comparative comfort at home to find disappoint-
ment here. Aa the government of Vancouver
Island, however, is authorised to borrow 40,0001.
for the purpose of executing public works, it is to
be hoped that many of the new arrivals will find
employment. A very successful scheme for settling
some of the outlying country districts; has been
undertaken by the government, so that excellent
laud may be obtained on the most favourable terms.
We are at present, and have been for months,
enjoying the most delightful weather, and after
a residence here of more than throe years, I can
wifely say the climate of Vancouver Island is not to
be equalled but by that of England in its most
favoured spots.

NATAL 471? marraar..

--0--
ADMIRALTY, NOY. 24. —PROmerrioNs AND AT-
rournilmTB.—Captain A. P. Ryder, to be private resekary
to the Duke of Soromast, vice Captain Moore, mita&
Commandao H. F. IPKillop, J. E. Montgoiserie, H. J.
Raby, J. R. Roes, endlW. N. W. Hewett, promoted to the
rank of captains.
Lientenante the Hon. F. W. Charteris, to the Victoria
and Abort,/ royal yacht ; E. H. Blake, to be additional to
the Ajax, for service as transport agent at Dublin ; E. F.
Hal P. Walker, H. B. Johnstone, T. N. Underwood,
J. H. , F. IL Prattent, M. Singer, J. B. Grove, E.
T. Nott, 0. G. Nelson, G. S. Nana, and J. C. Hopkins,
promoted so the rank of commanders.
Asewlastaergeen J. W. Leahy, to be additional to the
Wellesley.
Clerk llf. J. Mayyaa.,q to the Cornwallis.
Midshipmen J. Hedingfakl, W. H. Lewin, AL W. Abbott,
W. H. Jolifie, R. T. B. Bruce, and E. A. Liardet, to the
Meminett.
Mr. H. C. Wright has been nominated to a naval cadet-
. ship.

PORTSMOUTH, Nov. 24.
The Urgent, iron screw troop ship, Captain
Henry Hite, will, if ready, be paid off on Thursday.
The Spitfire, steam vessel, sailed from Spitlaead this
afternoon for Bermuda.

WOOLWICH, Nov. 24. I
The Flying Fish, 6, screw steameloop, Com-
weeds!, W. H. Anderson, arrived at Woolwich yesterday
from the West Coast of Africa, and was admitted into the
basin this day to strip and return stores previous to her
crew boas paid off at this yard. She was commissioned is
1859 by OsoMmattere. W. Hop.