The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-14 00:00:00

CA.LIFOI2NIA.

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 31. —For the last fortnigh
the market has been remarkably dull, owing chiefly
to the scarcity of gold dust, caused by the long
continuance of dry weather. The importations
have, however, been light, which has enabled the
merchants to avoid forcing sales at a sacrifice.
Grain and flour had lately risen considerably,
owing to a dreaded scarcity from a short crop of
California produce in the coming season ; but the
demand from the interior has been so limited
that prices have receded. The same may be said
of sugar and rice, while English manufactures are
in no better condition. In fact, English mercan-
tile business is much neglected and badly arranged
in this place. There is au absence of forecast and
of intelligent enterprise, which keeps it in a
sluggish jog-trot routine that produces few good
results. For instance, the goods sent out arelimited
toassortments supposed to meet the taste and supply
the consumption of California ; and, as this con-
sumption is over-estimated, the market is generally
overstocked with unsaleable merchandise to such
an extent as to force the consignees to re-ship Eng-
lish goods to other markets—a measure which gene-
rally ends iu loss—while the trade with Mexico is
entirely neglected. Now, the Mexican business in
English goods, carried on with Lima and Valparaiso,
has for many years been the beat and most highly
prized by English merchants on the Pacific coast ;
and a great portion of it could be diverted to Cali-
fornia if the English houses would only receive
suitable assortments. The Mexicans desire this di-
version, and are anxious to see it effected. Mexican
buyers would• much rather come to San Francisco
than go to Lima or Valparaiso to make their pur-
chases, from the greater proximity of the former
place to the coast towns of Mexico, and from the
greater facilities of intercourse afforded by the
steamers and sailing craft plying along the coasts
of the two countries. Besides, we already take
some of their produce, and the Mexicans have in
San Francisco an unfailing market for their silver
dollais and gold ounces, both of which command
a premium at all times. Our trade with China being
far greater than that of any other place on the Pa-
cific, Mexican dollars are always in demand for
remittance to China, and the operations of our local
mint take so much gold dust out of the market that
all sorts of coin will have to be remitted to Europe
and other countries to pay for our imports, for,
except a few hides and some other insignificant
articles, we have nothing else to export. As a proof
that my views are not imaginary, I may mention
that several Mexican merchants have already come
here with money in hand to make purchases, who
have gone away disappointed at not finding the
suitable assortments. This Mexican business is one,
too, in which the Americans cannot rival us, as all
conversant with it know. They cannot compete in
prints and other fabrics of this sort, either in quality
or cheapness, with the English manufacturer.
An English house, giving the necessary attention
to this business, could not fail of success.
There have been fewer transactions in exchange
for this mail than usual, partly owing to the supply
of gold dust being so limited that the bankers could
not procure a sufficient quantity to remit to meet
their bills, and partly from the distrust engendered
by the many recent failures of American banks on
the Atlantic side.

The price of gold dust is $l7 40c., and very little
offered for sale, as the greater part now goes to the
Mint to be coined. The remittances by this steamer
are made up partly by gold coin in lieu of " dust"
to meet bankers' draughts.

Her Majesty's ship of war Pique is still in port.
We have not had any tidings of the rest of the
squadron since I last wrote. The new Admiral has
gone to Valparaiso from Panama. The French
corvette Moselle sailed hence on the 23d for Tahiti.

The State Legislature is in session. The most
notable measures in progress are :—" A Bill for the
Suppression of Gambling ;" one for the construc-
tion of au immigrant-road from the -valley of
the Sacramento to the Eastern boundary of
the State ; an attempt to introduce the " Maine
Liquor Law," which I am quite sure will
be abortive ; an act increasing the capitation-
tax of $5 each now paid by all foreigners
arriving seawards to $2O a-head in the case of the
Mongolian race, with the view of checking the
Chinese immigration ; an act to amend the Consti-
tution ; and one of the oddest pieces of legislation
I ever heard of—viz., an act to authorise married
women to convey real estate in their own names.
This novel bill provides that these lucky ladies can
" convey joint or separate property in the absence"
of their lords, provided the unfortunate " husband
has been absent from the State one year prior to
such conveyance." If this law wilt not bind hus-
bands to their wives apronstrings, it will, at all
events, have the effect of proven ting long "absence."
The promoter must be either a confirmed old
bachelor, who has determined never " to pass the
Rubicon," or au advocate of the " rights of the
strong-minded."
The country is suffering dreadfully from the want
of rain. The grass has scarcely sprouted yet in
most places, and in the interior the frosts have
nipped and dried up all that had appeared, leaving
nothing for the cattle to feed upon. The miners
are idle in such districts as are not supplied with
artificial means for the conveyance of water to the
diggings.
This month has been rife in crime of all sorts,
—murders, duels, robberies, burglaries, assaults
with deadly weapons, larceny, rape, and other
minor offences, such as forgeries, petty larceny, and
the like, far too numerous to mention ; and January
has been particularly distinguished by a recurrence
to Lynch law in various parts of the country.
During the month nine men have been put to death
by the "people ;" one at Los Angelos, one at So-
nora, one at Mariposa, one at lowa-hill, one at
Volcano, one at Salmon-creek ; and three at the
same time at Turner's-ferry, on the river San Joa-
quin. All these cases, except the three last men-
tioned, were for murders committed in rows, and
on very slight provocation in the worst case, and
in some cases without provocation. Some of the
murders were committed for the purposes of rob-
bery. The case at Los Angelos was the most
notable :—An American named Brown was found
guilty, after a legal trial, of murder, and con-
demned to be hung on the same day with a Cali-
fornian, also legally condemned for murder.
Brown's execution was ordered by the Supreme
Court of the State to be stayed on an appeal, on
the ground of a flaw in the indictment, which
would probably have given him a new trial. The
people, however, determined that both criminals
should have even-handed justice meted out to
them, and after the Californian was executed by
the constituted authorities a mob broke open the
prison and hanged Brown. The Mayor, after he
had performed his part at the legal execution of
the Californian, resigned his office, to enable him
" consistently to assist in his private capacity" in
the Lynching of Brown. At last accounts he was a
candidate for his formeroffice with every prospect of
success. No doubt Brown was guilty, and, as
Los Angelos has long been the scene of murders
and other horrible crimes, the people deter-
mined to make a salutary example by an act of
stern impartiality. The three men hanged at Tur-
ner's-ferry were guilty of cattle-stealing, a crime
which has of late been carried to such an extent as
to have required a striking example to put a stop
to it. Thermo are eevoral riorsuatcalcrs iu custody,
who were rescued from mobs just as they were pre-
paring to execute summary justice upon them.
Some little time back a batch of prisoners con-
fined to the State prison for long terms and for
life escaped, and laid a great part of the country
from Contra Costa to Monterey under contribution,
robbing and plundering and shooting and wound-
ing as they went along. Several of them were shot
down in the chase that ensued. Many were
wounded, and some were taken, but a few, pro-
bably seven or eight, escaped the pursuit ; and
now and again we see it announced that they leave
their marks in several places. The other day a
miner "succeeded in killing one," and some one
else "succeeded in wounding another." The press
speaks of the proceedings as if it were relating a
bear-hunt.

• Contributions towards the Patriotic Fund are
being made in San Francisco, and I hope they will
eome to something considerable.
A most horrible accident accurred at Sacramento
the other day by the blowing up of one of the
river steamers plying between Marysville and that
city, in consequence of her racing against an oppo-
sition boat. I regret to learn that an English gen-
tleman, a Mr. Nicholson, from Manchester, lately
arrived in this country, is among the sufferers. He
has had his leg broken in three places, report says.
Below is a short notice of the accident, from the
California Chronicle :
"A keen competition has for some time been con-
ducted on our interior waters between the California
Steam Navigation Company and vatious independent
coaiptuies. Running between the vessels of the rival
lines naturally ensued, and the steamers have been
(Liven to excessive speed. The general press pre-
dicted that some dreadful calamity would soon result
front sludi culpable management, and the public awaited
the same in fear and trembling. It La, come at last.
On the 27th inst. the steamer Pearl, belonging to the
Californian Steam Navigation Company, and plying
between Marysville and Sacramento, was blown pieces
by an excloAon of her boiler. This happened a few
hundred yards below the confluence of the American and
Sacramento rivers, as the vessel wal nearing the levee
at Scramento city. There were 122 persons on board at
the time, including the crew; of these nearly 60 are
known either to have been killed by the explosion, ( r
drowned by being thrown into the water. Nearly 30
more have been wounded, seme very severely. Only 20
have escaped uninjured. The remainder are missing,