The Express.
London, England, 1851-10-07 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 7, 1851.

WEST INDIES.

PIT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]
SOUTHAMPTON, Tura°Ar MID-DAT.
The Clyde has just arrived with the West Indian
and Mexican mails. 11cr dates are—Vera Cruz,
Sept. 6th; Chagres, 9th ; Jamaica, 13th ; Demerara,
11th; Trinidad, 11th; St. Thomas's, 18th. Amongst
her cargo is specie to the amount of about 600,000
dollars, of which about 40,000 dollars arc on account
of Mexican dividends. Among her passengers are
Sir William Colebrook and family, from Ilardoes.
From Demerara we learn that the Governor was
at Berbiee. The Court of Policy was to assemble on
22nd of September, when the plan of reform laid
before the Court by the governor on the 25th of
August, will be brought forward and considered.
The commercial news from Jamaica is, that the
produce market is quiet. Sugars are low ; the finer
qualities are scarce. lium is plentiful, and inactive.
The new crop of pimento is being taken oft; but the
market as yet is lightly supplied.
A smart shock of au earthquake was felt at Trini-
dad on the 9th Sept.

AUSTRALIA.

THE NEW HOLLAND GOLD DIGGINGS.

By the arrival of the Thomas Arbuthnot we arc put
in possession of Sydney papers as late us the 9th of June ;
and though this does nut appear to be later than previous
advices, the accounts are much fuller, and a better picture
is afforded of the actual position of the gold diggings than
has yet been presented to the English reader, the more
especially as great attention was being paid to the obtaining
of accurate intelligence, for which purpose parties hadlieen
specially commissioned to proceed to the diggings by the
journals and private individuals. On Suuday even-
ing, the Ist of June, Mr. Hardy, the government com-
missioner, arrived at the Summerhill Creek, Bathurst, whilst
a patty of mounted police encamped at Swallow Creek,
and followed to the diggings on Monday. Mr. Hardy,
with much good judgment, did not press the diggers who
were without means for the immediate payment of the
license fee, but gave them a week for the purpose and of-
fered to take the amount in gold dust. The variety of coa-
tames at the diggings is stated to immediately attract the
attention of the visitor. The poorer classes, generally
speaking, work in their usual apparel ; others add to it a
blue serge shirt and a California hat. Those who are in
better circumstances will be found with strong moleskin
trousers, blee serge shirt, warm woollen comforter,
California hat, belt, and a pair of strong leather
leggings ; others again, instead of leggings, will be
found with waterproof boots, reaching from six to nine
inches above the knee. These who desire to be more
conspicuous than others will be seen with scarlet serge
shirts. One party from Sydney was dressed in a very
singular fashion, his appearance presenting some slight re-
semblance to that of a Spanish brigand he wore a close
scarlet lambswool shirt, a rough brown jacket, buckskin
breeches, with boots reaching a little above the knee, a
slouched hat, and a belt, front which dangled a pocket pistol
on one side, a dirk on the other, and a cartridge pouch be-
hind. This constituted his working dress, the jacket only
being thrown off when the weather was warns. The fierce-
ness of the aspect of this individual, however, was pro-
bably owing to his Californian reminiscences, as the wheel
of fortune had previously carried him to the American El
Dorado. The appearance of the timer part of the creek,
about eight or nine o'clock in the evening, states an eye-
witness, is very singular, and would form a good study for a
painter. The rows of tents and gunyahs of every descrip-
tion, with largo blazing fires, and knots of human beings
flitting before them, have a very unique effect. The shouts
and laughter of the boys, mingled with occesional discharges
of firearms, give additional singularity to the scene, which
when viewed from the high abrupt ranges, has something
rather unearthly about it. In the day time the swarms of
human beings rocking cradles in the bed ;of the creek,
and the intensity of attention with which they pursue
their work, show that the diggers possess in a strong degree
, the qualities of energy and perseverance. Many will be
seen there who never before performed a day's hard work
in their lives now strenuously working with the pick,
shovel, and crowbar, lifting heavy stones, carrying over
stony roads buckets heaped with soil containing the
golden deposit, or working the rockers, being at the tiii.e
soaking wet up to or above their knees. Great order and
unanimity prevail, a little bantering occasionally diversify-
ing the scene, whilst all seem in good spirits,
' kept alive by their golien hopes, which, how-
ever, in numberless cases, end in disappointment.
During the last three days, the number of persons
who had arrived at Bathurst en route to the diggings was
estimated at no less than fifteen hundred ; independent of
this, numbers were daily wending their way by other route.,
so that in the course of a month it was thought there would
be at least 10,000 persons on the ground, even allowing a
heavy margin for those who might leave.
As regards the weather, which may reasonably be ex-
pected to have an important influence on the yield, it is
stated that for the last four nights the cold had been ex-
ceedingly severe, although in the day time the sun shone
brightly. Some of the diggers were working in a mizzling
sleety rain, whilst in other parts of the neighbourhood
a heavy fall of snow had taken place ; so that
many were already beginning to wish for their comfortable
beds and warm firesides, and were anxious to regain the
genial winters to which they had been accustomed at
Sydney.
Residents in Bathurst, whose incomes were limited, were
suffering most severely from the high price of provisions.
Flour ruled at 50e. per 1001 b. ; mutton and beef had risen
25 per cent.; sugar, 100 per cent. ; tea, 50 per cent. ; and
every description of shop goods was exorbitantly high. Two
tons of flour had just been put up for sale by public auction,
and were bought in at 40!. per ton. Teams laden with
leer were constantly passing through Bathurst to the dig-
and a great many were on the road from Syduiy,
Wen with the same commodity.
She force in the neighbourhood for the preservation of
eider and punishment of offenders is ridiculously small,
10 that the more satisfaction is to be felt at the harmony
and quietude that prevailed, especially as nearly every
rlicis well armed.
Increase in the Bathurst police force amounted to
eleven men, including two aboriginal natives. Eighteen
mounted men went up to the gold field with Mr. Hardy,
eight of whom had since returned to the barracks at Ba-
thurst. Ten mounted men had arrived in the town from
the Sydney-road, so that the disposable force at this side of
the country, exclusive of the small parties of theconstabulary
at Orange, Wellington, Career and aludgee, amounted to
between fifty and sixty men, one half of whom were
mounted.
The accounts from Orange report exceedingly cold and
boisterous weather. which had brought many people from the
diggings, some to sell the fruits of their labour and others
from their inability to stand the exposure. Many persons
are described as being very fortunate. A well-sinker
named Foote obtained 400/. worth, and a blacksmith had
been even more fortunate. An Orange innkeeper had pur-
chased 331., the labour of three men for a week, and they
were understood to have in their possession as much more.
The shopkeepers wcte purchasing the gold freely, and one
had on hand nearly 1001. worth. Here measures were
being taken to supply provisions at more reasonable rates,
the distance front the workings being only one-third of
that to Bathurst. It was rumoured that two companies
of the military were to be barracked in this loca-
lity, but nothing had as yet been seen of them. Many
of the land speculaton were already on the qui rice, and it
was intended to make immediate application to govern
men: to have surveyed and put up to sale the remaining
allotments in the township; whilst several persons who had
land adjoining were about cutting it up into sections for
immediate sale. A blacksmith had just returned from the
diggings with some three or four and twenty ounces after a
fortnight's labour, but the weather and the work were too
much for him, and he intended, for some time at least, to
follow his usual business. Parties were still in course of
formation in many districts, though numbers were return-
ing in disappointment. One gentleman, a large holder of pro-
perty, was intending to at once cpen a store in the valley,
with every sort of thing requisite, " from a needle to an
anchor, prohibiting all persons from searching for gold on
his estate, and establishing a township on it.
Few cases of violence at the diggings hart been heard of,
but it was scarcely to be expected that this would continue.
In one case summary and exemplary punishment was in-
flicted by two young men on a dishonest comrade, who was
entrusted with the sale of some gold at Bathurst, and made
a false return ; and this made the place •• too hot to hold
him." A few petty robberies of mining implements, &c.,
were also now and then heard of. Much improvidence was
manifested by the most successful parties, a case of luck
Ming instantly made Inc of to replenish the kegs, and en-
joy a few days " spree."
The local papers see nearly full of advertisements of
articles of dress, food, and otherwise of necessity to the
visitor to the gold regions, whilst nearly every shopkeeper
ON= to have become a purchaser of the produce of the
irlfgres' labours. With a view to aspease the prevalent
curiosity and present means of affording distant friends an
actual view of the precious metal itself, one man very ob-
ligingly advertises " handsome specimens from the Ophir
diggings," weighing 8, 10, 12, and 14 ounces.
An order had been issued by the government for the pay-
ment of 5001. to Mr. Hargraves, as a reward for the infor-
mation given by him respecting the Bathurst gold field.
At Ountburn the flattering accounts from the aurifer-
ous regions had produced a general desire to be " off," and
had means been at hand it was thought halt the population
would have deserted the place. The price of every con-
sumable article' had risen prodigiously ; flour was 301. per
ton, and tea and sugar even higher than at Bathurst. Many
persons who would otherwise have remained were actually
compelled to start off in consequence of this rise. Soma of
the large proprietors of stock had wisely offered on increase
of wages to induce their servants to stop, and many had as
wisely accepted the offer ; and this example, it was thought,
the government would be compelled to follow to secure the
services of the constabulary.
Fears were entertained in many districts that the culti-
vation of the land would be veeriously interfered with
by the prevalent excitement. Many farmers were rushing
off from their avocations to try their luck at the diggings.
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the mania
population, as ever
provisionsoneias pargainvgauteedstwal:iiin The
last fewofdaystrudPeroceine. labour of say kind was scarcely