The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-14 00:00:00

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LOYDON. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11.

Oun perfect confidence in the principle of unre-
stiicted compatition,—which is mere extensively and
fairly applied to over-sea trade than to most
other branches of business, has often induced
us to oppose certain lugubrious statements in
the Timer, and to uphold the prospects of
_

our trade, against the discountenance of Bank
I)irectoes, and the apprehensions of those over-careful
politicians who are solicitous for the application of
the money-screw to impede the general progress.
The very latest arrivals from Australia and America
juvtify our cheerful anticipations, and convince us
more than ever that it is only for protected
businesses that there is any cause for apprehension.
Monopoly and restriction are the parents of evil, and
those for whose benefit they are intended are always
the most easily alarmed and the greatest croakers.
Free competition necessarily gives vigour and inde-
pendence. It makes each individual rely on himself
and his own resources; it calls into play the facu::ies
of the millions; it excites general activity a: the
same time that it provides, in the watchfulness and
exertion of all, a check on itr.proprieties in every
one. As contradistiogniehed from all artificial contriv-
ances to promote the public welfare, it is the order of
nature, and must be eminently,—and in all cases,—
successful.

We learn accordingly, as we expected, from Mel-
bourne, " though the market is still overstocked with
goods," that the extraordinary power of count:op.
aeon bas prevented anything like a decided glut.
while symptom. of • firmer feeling are begin-
ning to appear. Credit and confidence are unshaken'
and activity is discernible in every depart.
sent of industry and enterprise. Building opera-
boas are carried on to a surprising extent. The
Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway is expected to
be opened for traffic in six or eight months. Sheep,
which not long ago were boiled down for tallow, are
now wo:th 30s. each, adding at once millions to their
value ; and the woollen manufacturers at home are
warned in time that flocks are no longer kept exclu-
sively for the fleece. The wool buyers must be prepared
for diminished supplies of wool from Australia, and
will do well to increase their imports from other places,
Though 2,600,000 lbs. more wool have been exported
in 1853 than in 1852, such an incesue in conthin-
ance is not to be at present hoped for.
The yield of gold, however, is increasing in Vie-
toria. and between August 20 and September 17, in-
clusive, 2138,950 ounces of gold were brought by
escort into Melbourne. More art and skill
are now employed in getting the gold,—there
am more hands engaged in getting it,—and
if the numerous statements made of the auri-
ferous nature of the country be not all false,
the produce hereafter must be greater than it has
been heretofore. Such an important interest has that
of gold-get t ing already become—giving rise in a couple
of years to a trade as large u the trade with India
or Chins—that it could not submit to the old crippling
system of licensee, which would soon have reduced
it to a level with the fettered and impoverished mining
of Germany. The Governor of Victoria therefore
wisely proposes to abolish the license fee. Properly
is it said that this proceeding will render it impossible
to maintain the license fee in New South Wales. As
gold-digging is set free from political thraldom there
is no doubt but it will be prosecuted with
greater vigour, become more productive, and
the gold mining interest, with an its connected traffic
and subordinate trade, will become one of the greatest
interests of both hemispheres. Gold is universally
in demand. The produce is not half enough for the
wants of the world : there are millions of human
beings who are never gladdened by the shining
ore and its consequences; and we ought in no manner
to fetter the industry employed in procuring gold. A
license fee is a tax, not oa what a man has obtained.
but on his industry before he has gained anything,
and, as he may lose by the venture, the state may tax
poverty and misfortune instead of drawing its revenues
from wealth and success. It is not a tax on the pro-
duce of labour : it is an extortion from a labourer
that be may have permission to toil.
Under the old monarchies of Europe the claim of
the Crown to all the precious metals was a mere
usurpation, but under the modern representative
system the claim is absurd as well as • usurpation.
To assert for the public of England • right of pro-
perty in the gold of Australia—nominally to assert
such a right for the citizens of London and Liver-
pool, and the squires of Northampton and Kent, but
practically and in effect to assert it for the benefit of
the Colonial-office and its hangers-on, who would have
all the advantages,—is to overturn the only safe bases
of property—the industry which wins the gold—and
rest it on legislation which—we need not now be
told—may be revolutionary caprice. It the usurpa-
tion and its consequences have unfortunately been
set aside by the violence of the miners and the weak-
ness of the Colonial G overoment, the result, which
is to be deplored, is the consequence of the
original wrong urged by writers in the 71nie
and other journals ignorant of all sound
general principles, and taking no notice of every-day
facts. The Governors of the Colonies assumed the
power claimed by the POPE and the Kings of Europe,
which they could not effectually exercise. We doubt,
even, if the fleets of England could enable them to
exercise it. We are sure, if they could, it would only
be exercised to the public injury ; and that Mr.
LATROBE has been compelled to withdraw the license
fees is the necessary result of those fete having been
originally established in old error and in old wrong.
%%'hatever the system of Europe might sanction
or permit, it must not be forgotten that on
the shores of the Pacific, and with respect to
getting gold, new principles as well as new'
places have come prominently under our notice.
We are there placed in close competition
with California, and we cannot with safety, or honour,
there evoke a similar contrast to our disadvantage
to that which prevails on the shores of the Atlantic
between Nova Scotia and Maine or between Canada
and the State of New York. The two systems of
England with 'dependent Colonies and of America
with free Federal States are again brought intojuxta-
position, and the one which is more free, and displays
the nearest approximation to justice, will be most suc-
cessful. In dealing with our Australian Colonies, in
authorising Government to make laws for them, and
in supporting their authority by our power, we
must never lose sight of the fact that their instito-
Cons and their progress will be always compared to
the institutions and progress of California.
On the same day that the arrival of the Victoria
i., announced with, including what the passengers
carry, upwards of 200,000 ounces of gold, or about
G 40,0001., we are informed of 3,770,000 dollars of
gold, or about b 00,0001., heels' been seat from Cali-