The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-26 00:00:00

CALIFOIINIA.

SAN FRANCISCO, DEC. 31, 1851.—We have no
been doing much for the last month that could inte-
rest the Old World.

In consequence of the rainy weather, _now fairly
set in, having rendered the roads in the interior
almost impassable for the last two weeks, and thus
preventing:" teaming' from the Cities of Sacra-
mento and Stockton, business transactions in mer-
chandise have been naturally limited. Some
articles, however, are improving, the demand is in-
creasing, and holders are firm in asking advanced
prices. Ilwould note coals:end lumber in particular,
both of which are scarce. It is considered doubtful
that imported lumber will continue to pay, however,
as there is an abundance of forests in the country, and
as several local sawmills are now being put up, and
bricks, made on the spot, are coming into more ge-
neral use for building. Coals, if not sent in ex-
cess, will always do well.
worth 110 dolls. per 1.000; Lumber, assorted, is
worth 35 dolls and shoo` brick:, (English) 35 dolls.
to 40 d,dls. ; • firebricks 55 doll 4, to 60 dolls. Coals are
1,000 tons are held in ex-
pectation of an advance to 40 aolls.loT 50 dolls. per ton
in consequent(* of the short supply .on hand and the
increase in the consumption. Flour is worth now
11 per sa(.lt of '2oolb. and likely to advance. The
late rains have enabled the miners to work with in-
creased advantage, and they seem very generally to have
availed themselves of the water to wash the heaps
collected during the autumn. Gold dust has been
scarce lately, owing to the difficulty of transport
and the price has advanced a little, and although there
is every prospect of an increased supply, I think, from
the general demand, that it will maintain the advance.
The news from all parts of the mining country is
most encouraging, and quartz mi • -
Lung, as an ::invest-
ment, is coming to be looked upon with considerable
favour by local capitalists.
Some disturbance took place at the Southern mineslately, at a place called Carson-bill, respecting the con-
flicting claims of two sets of miners to the diggings ;
but no more serious consequences than a good fleecing
by the gentlemen of the long robe are anticipated to
result from the fracas. The dispute is fortunately
among Americans, and no foreigners are as yet com-
promised.
The Indian outbreak at the south is likely to be soon
quelled. The chief who organized it has been taken,
and some prisoners who were implicated in the Indian
rising have been hung at San Diego, which it is sup-
posed will strike such terror into the Indian camp as
will bring about a peace. A very general disposi-
tion to engage in railroad speculations is manifesting
itself throughout the country. Some progress has
already been made in the preliminaries of a rail-
road from this city to San Jcee. The line is
nearly a dead level, passing through a rich
valley, which when cultivated will be very produc-
tive. It is premature, however, to speculate upon
the result until the country is more thickly peopled.
From Sacramento city to Marysville, and to Nevada
city a railroad is also seriously spoken of, and from
Stockton to the Southern mines. These latter are
feasible enough, for the traffic to the mines is enor-
mous and constantly increasing. At the present rate
of settlement the interior will soon be as populous as
the coast In any other country these speculations
would be spoken of for years before any progress would
be made in realising them, but in this " fast" country
it would not surprise me if all these railroads were
open in a year. _

The immigration to this country of late shows a
decided increase, and is attended with many features
which will be of ultimate benefit to the country. A
better class of persons come ; many families are ar-
riving ; young women of respectable character, ar-
tisans, and tradesmen, merchants and professional
men, are ell coming to make the country their
permanent home. This accession is causing San
Francisco to spread itself out to a large size, and one
of the most obvious results of the late impetus given
to the growth of the town has been a rise in the
price of land, which for some time back was very
dull. On the whole the prospects of the country
were never more cheering than they are at present.
The quantity of gold to go by the mail steamer to-
morrow is 1,400,000 dolls., and reckoning 300 dolls.
to each of 300 passengers already engaged, will make
1,490,000 dolls. The total amount of gold exported
to all parts in December, with the above, to leave to-
morrow, will be 5,880,000 dolls. •
Exchanges.—England at sight, 46 to 46k; ditto,
GO days' sight, 47d. ; France, 4 75 and 4 80 ; Ham
burg, 40 to 41 ; Mexico, Lima, and Valparaiso, par
to 2 per cent, discount; Atlantic sight draughts, 4 per
cent. premium.
Price of gold dust, 17 dolls. 50c. to 17 dolls. 621 c.
per ounce, and in great demand.
Interest of mcney, 3to 4 per cent. premium. Ca-
pital quite abundant, and good investments scarce.
Just as I was closing this letter, a friend of mine,
whom I bad asked for the quotations of some goods,
sent me a short report, which I think so interesting
that I enclose it as an addition to my letter :
REPORT ON MARKET FOR ENGLISH MANUFACTURED

GOODS, DEc,3l, 1851.

In English dry goods little or nothing has been
doing for th© last few weeks, owing to the continual
rains. The stocks are but moderate. In demand
blankets and Wt. shirtings.
Hardware—Suitable descriptions find a ready sale
at a fair advance upon invoice cost.
Earthenware—Ditto. The stocks at present are
heavy, owing to recent arrivals.
Iron and Steel—ln demand, with a moderate
supply.
Coals—An extraordinary advance has taken place
in the price of this article within the last fortnight.
All kinds of English and Welsh will now readily
bring 35 dolls. per ton, and by holding a few weeks
it is expected that 20 to 30 per cent. on this quotation
will be obtained. With the exception of a cargo of
1,000 tons held by one house, the market is almost
bare.
Spirits and Wines—Market abundantly stocked
and prices low. Of Martel's brandy there is none
in the market, and it is in demand.
Ale and Porter—Prices have slightly declined,
owing to large arrivals. Ryas's and Tennant's in
bottle brings 3i to 41 per dozen,
The following are in demand :—Powder—Shot
(this article has advanced 10 per cent. within the
last few days).
Window glass is in abundant supply.

h may be called Biblical Archi-
tecture, our notice ofn what
MEMORIAL.
tecture, we STONES
mti
v;t
overlook stones of memorial. Jo-
thost Adam, having prophesied the
sephus relate
universal. the children of Seth erected two
pillars, o
k and the other of stone, whereon
they engraved memorials of their discoveries and in-
ventions,for
the benefit of after ages. Not to dwell on
: olufgber,ie
this statement,
nt however, Jacob, :tiler his dream of the
•
ladder
onreachmg to heaven, set up " for a pillar" the
which he had rested his head, poured oil on the
' top of it—thus consecrating it, and said: " This stone
which I slave set up for a pillar shall be God's house."
therefore called the place Beth-el; and it is interest-
ing to find that cromlechs in Ireland, and many single
stones in Cornwall, attributed to the Phesnicians, retain
the name Bothal. It was in use, too, amongst the
Greeks. Again, when Jacob and Labatt were covenant-
ing one with another, " Jacob took a stone and set it up
for a pillar;" and further, said to his brethren, " Gather
stones; and they took stones and made a heap." When,
God communed with Jacob and called bim Israel, Jacob
again raised a pillar; and then when Rachael died
hove
set up a pillar on her grave. Here, you see, we, f
pillars raised, as an oflering to God, in witness
compact between men, and as a sepulchral monument.
reaeiving
About 200 years later, 1491 B.C. Moses,
s of Israel."
" twelve pillars, according to the twelreeht
the Divine message, built an altar under the bill, with
took twelve stones out of Jordan
and
(the number of the
that Joshua tet
And in Joshua it is recorded that the children ildren of Israel
tribes), and pitched them in Gilgal.
up twelve other stones in the
com-
memorate passing the
was called Gilgal, to keep n D(11451 8.C.). The place
wi!ersmemory
that God had that
midst of Jordan, to l
children of Israel the reproach
day rolled away from t_h_el, or Gil (signifying a wheel), is
of Egypt. The term tia
doubled,
the linguist
---15 la
5.._ al, to convey a more perfect no-
tion of the action.

-- 7--
We are requested to contradict the statement
which has been circulated, to the effect that Lord Jocelyn
had accepted office under Lord Derby's Administration.—
Times.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Wednesday last a young
mariner, named Blackwell, of Rowhedge, sailed from ,that
place with his father on a fishing excursion,
been at sea more than two hours, when, in consequence of
but had not
the contrary winds and waves, the son
go aloft to take in sail, and hile so engaged was. blown
Was compelled to
the distressing circumstance,
overboard from the shrouds. The father, who witnessed
immediately put the vessel
ssistance he could
about, and endeavoured to save his son
.by throwing out
an oar to him, which was all the a
ents being furious,
render • the drowning man grappled with the.oar, which
buoyed him up for a minute, but the elem
the unfortunate young man receded 'with the fast-running
tide from the eyes of his Parent' and was seen no mgrs.—
Essex Herald. -
An accident happened
0 i
,a train was'approaching,
on the Rouen
. Railway at
Sotteville, on Sunday. The switchman, .by mistake, gave
uttastrain ran on to a line ou
thean d pointst
he consequence a wrong
d wasireetit°huat 1 .
and knocked three of them
which- carriages were standing,
. horror-stricken at
to pieces. The switchman, named Boudel, who is of good
what,-he witnessed. entering his box he immediately wrote
character, and father of a family, was
line Bardsi wi e, ding her adieu, and then
a few hastY
flight tot . . As he ran he threw off
he river
tartikeljecis of clothing. His footmarks could be traced to the
middle of the bridge of Eauplot, but there they ceased, and
it is feared that he threw himself into the water. lie had
often declared be would kill himself if he were the cause of
an accident.—Gidiynani.
Tilß FORCE or CONSCIENCE.—About 10 years ago
thermantu3cript department of the British Museum suffered a
loss by the cutting out from the manuscripts of several
autographs of the early
Reformers. Eight months since the
authorities of the Museum received a note from a Catholic
priest enclosing the purloined autographs, in which it was
stated, that in eatremis
a man whom he attended had handed
them to him, might be forwarded to
the proper authorities. On referring to the
,
and requested that they
period when the
autographs were abstracted it was discovered that the party
who had committed the felony was a foreigner'