The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-30 00:00:00

THE GOLD.

The total amount of the precious metal brought
into Melbourne by the several escorts, and by pri-
vate hand, up to the end of August, we showed to
be 1,771,974 ounces. Since then the quantities
brought in have been as under :

GOVERNMENT ESCORT.

Sept. 3.—Prom Ballarat
7 " Mount Alexander
10 " Ballarat ,
do.
Mount Alexander:
do.
Ballarat, unknown

Ounces.
4,627
37,956
4,897
4,661
47,061
28,628

" 25

128,880

PRIVATE ESCORT.
Sept. 2.—From Mount Alexander...

. 33,805
. 31,755
. 47,050
40,922
_ 44,427

"14
" 20
~, 20

197,959

TOTALS.

Tly Government escort
By private escort
Amount conveyed to Adelaide by South Aus-
tralian escort on the 16th inst. ..

. 128,830
. 197,959

. 39,404

Total quantity brought down by escorts... 366,193
We have here tolerably correct data to determine
th© average weekly yield of the Victoria diggings.
In an address to her Majesty, drawn up by the
Legislative Council some days ago, it is stated that
" the present weekly yield of gold, taking the last
three months as a criterion, may be estimated at
80,000 ounces, which, at 70s. an ounce, gives a
gross annual sum of 14,560,0001. sterling." This
estimate is fully substantiated by the figures given
in our previous article, and more than confirmed
by the statistics given above. For we find that in
the first four weeks of the present month close upon
370,000 ounces have been conveyed from the dig-
gings by escorts, in addition to the unknown quan-
tities brought away by private persons, and still
:remaining in the hands of the diggers. Perhaps an
average yield of 120,000 ounces weekly would not
be an exaggerated estimate At all events it is
perfectly certain that the weekly yield is constantly
increasing ; but, on the other hand, it must be
stated that the present is the most favourable
period of the year for gold-digging, and that the
number of diggers is constantly increasing.
In our previous summary we estimated the total
yield of our gold fields, from their commencement
to the end of August, at 2,532,422 oz., to which,
adding the amount since brought in, we have a
present total of 2,898,615 oz., which, at 3/. 10s.
per oz., is equal to 10,145,1521. sterling ; but this
amount, we may again state, we believe to be much
below the actual value of the gold produced in Vic-
toria to the present date.
We have said that the number of diggers is in-
creasing. Our previous estimate gave the number
at '70,000, and it is likely that upwards of 80,000
are at this moment on the ground. Taking the
average weekly yield given by the Legislative
Council, we find that the average yield per man
per week is exactly an ounce. This result is at
least confirmed by the general statements of the
diggers themselves, it being universally admitted
that any persev,ering digger can easily secure an
ounce a-week—a striking contrast with the wages
of the Lanark handloom weaver, and the pittance
doled out grudgingly to the Dorsetshire labourer
or the famished Irish peasant.—Melbourne Argus.

ENGLAND AND ITS PROSPECTS.--England is a young
country, not an old country, as some mistakenly assert.
The energy in it at this moment is enormous ; we are
but commencing to move, and have a mighty future in
Store. Statesmen, as it seems to us, are beginning to
have glimpses of their real duty—the welfare and ad-
.varicernent of the people committed to their charge. The
tt
1g ii.te is coming when leaders will have to be leaders, and
world will not be governed or trammelled by shams.
ulerecognition of the importance of the fine arts and
Practical science in the late speech from the throne is a
Panr°dr4Al4lng sign of the times, and the proposed Industrial
rustic University will be looked forward to shop-
country v
-I" • 'lle application of art to the manufactures of the
country,
he indunt •
tfie general advancement ani elevation of
1.1.33. Population, is no longer a matter of pre-
, other
fer
rl Still ente or otherwise, but one of vital necessity. If we
cOuntries will not, and we shall be
pied. in the race. The mind must be set to work to
aid the hind. As the Duke of Newcastle truly said at
the late meeting of the Sheffield School of Design—
" These are days in which education is no longer one of
Design—
the luxuries of life ; ha, become one of its greatest
It has become the dell necessities for all classes and for all grades of society.
y bread of us all."—The Builder.
IMMIGRATION.—We earnestly entreat attention to the
injudicious and cruel system of sending out overcrowded
vessels, which seems to be gaining
ground just now.
Three striking instances of this kind have just occurred.
The Bourneuf, Wanata, and Marco Polo, have arrived'
from Liverpool with about 800 passengers each. The
consequences of overcrowding are sure to be fatal, and,
according} 31 the deaths were 83, 39, and 53 respectively,
during the.'t oyage. The vessels were of the largest size,
it is true, but it is perfectly obvious, that no vessel,
whatever its size, can safely carry such large numbers
on a three months' voyage. It is also true that the
mortalit in these cases was almost wholly cOnfinecl to
children ;y
but the Lets are not the less painfulj nor in-
applicable as warnings of the disastrous consequences of
an inhuman system—Melbourne A ellus.
'PERNICIOUS LITERATURE.—The circulation cf pPr,ni-
elous publications is immense. In 1845 it was calculated
from London alone there was a yearly circulation of
amped and unstamped newspapers and serials, of a
decidedly pernicious character, to the extent of
28,862,000 ! During the last five years, while cheap
periodicals have made limited progress, either
in numbers or interest, the corrupt printing.press has
been unceasingly at work. Tlae present circulation in
London of immoral unstamped publications of a half-
penny to three halfpence each, must be upwards of
400,000 weekly, which would give the enormous issue of
20,800,000 yearly.