The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-16 00:00:00

"Fr GOVERNMENT ESCORT.

Nov. 18. From Mount Alexander • Ounces.
10,233
18. From Ballarat ••• —• 10,427
24. From Ballarat ... 8,537
25. From Mount Alexander 9,945
27. From the Ovens ... 3,300
Dec. 1. From Ballarat ••• 10,100
2. From Mount Alexander ... 16,125
8. From Mount Alexander ..• 10,661
8. From Ballarat 8,887
13. From the Ovens ... ••• 8,783
16. From Mount Alexander 9,900
16. From Ballarat ••• 7,500
22. From Ballarat ••• 8,500
23. From Mount Alexander ... 7,800
29. From Ballarat •••_ ••• 4,457
30. From Mount Alexander ... 6,191
27. Dispatched from the Ovens 13,400

Total ... ... ... 145,746
BY PRIVATE ESCORT.

Nov. 12
19
27
Dec. 3
9
16
23
30

Ounces.
... ••. 45,219
... ••• 27,119
... ... 37,776... ... 31,042
... ... 24,900
... ... 19,674
... ... 21,354
... 20,347
...

Total ... 227, 431
RECAPITULATION.

Ounces.
By Government escort ... ... ... 154,746
Private escort ... ... ... ... 227,431
Amount conveyed to Adelaide by November
escort ... ... ... ... ... 43,875

Ditto by,December escort ... 27,033
Ditto by October escort (previously omitted) 42,019

Total

495,104

The following statement exhibits the total amounts
brought down by escorts from their establishment to the
end of 1852 :

BY GOVERNMENT ESCORT.

Ounces.
From Oct. 1, 1851, to Aug. 26, 1852 ... 896,810
From Aug. 26 to Sept. 25 ... ... 128,830
From Sept. 25 to Nov. 15 ... ... 225,358
From Nov. T5-to—DiE. 30 154,746

Total ... 1,405,744
BY PRIVATE ESCORT.
Ounces.
From June 21 to Aug. 21... ... 207,588
From Aug. 21 to Sept. 25... ... 197,959
From Sept. 25 to Nov. 15... ... 245,981
From Nov. 15 to Dec. 30... ... 227,431

Conveyed to Adelaide by escorts..

878,959
228,529

Total conveyed by escorts... 2,513,232
" But this amount by no means represents the total
yield of our gold fields. In a previous summary we
proved that a large proportion of the precious metal was
carried from the diggings by private hand, by comparing
the amount known to have been brought to Melbourne
by the far larger amount actually shipped from the port.
Our first summary showed the result of a very careful
estimate as proving that up to the end of August last the
total yield of gold was 2,532,422 oz. The escorts have
brought down since then as under :

From Aug. 26 to Sept. 27 .
From Sept: 27 to Nov. 15 .
From Nov. 15 to Dec. 30 .

Ounces.
366,193
471,339
496,103

Total 1, 332, 636
" But to this amount something must be added for the
quantity conveyed by private hand within that period.
Of course no definite data exist for ascertaining this ; but
it will not be over-estimated by taking it at 10 per cent.
of the quantity brought by escort. The totals would,
therefore, stand thus :

Ounces.

Estimated total of the yield up till
August 2,532,422
Conveyed by escort since then 1,332,636
Conveyed by private hand 133,263

Estimated grand total of the yield up
to 30th December, 1852 3,998,321
"We may say, in round numbers, 4,000,000 oz.,
which, at 70s. per oz., is 14,000,0001. sterling ; but its
intrinsic value is certainly more, nearly 16,000,0001.
sterling. The world has never, perhaps, exhibited so
astounding a result as these figures show.
" The number of diggers at the various gold fields may
now be estimated at 100,000 ; and the average earnings
may probably'still be calculated at an ounce per man
per week. There has been a slight falling off in the
quantities sent down by escort during the last month ;
but this is partly to be referred to the departure of
diggers to spend their Christmas at their respective
homes.
"It will be seen from the preceding summary that
three several gold fields—viz., Mount Alexander, Bal-
larat, and the Ovens are now being advantageously
worked. The astonishing richness of Mount Alexander
is evidenced in the large amounts which it yields, not-
withstanding the immense quantities that have already
been drawn from it. The whole country thereabouts
appears to be more or less auriferous.
" Ballarat diggings are again rising into favour, and
their productiveness is being more fully developed. The
gold at Ballarat is more unequally distributed than at
Mount Alexander, and therefore the proportion of suc-
cessful to unsuccessful diggers is not so great as at the
latter place. But then the individual gains are in some
cases greater. The labour is more severe, also, than at
the Mount, as the gold lies deeper, and more numerous
trials have to be made before the deposits are struck
upon. There is no doubt that Ballarat will continue to
give out considerable quantities for a long time to come,
admitted fact. The amount as a very rich and will be a resort for many diggerswhohavefah field,iledat
may
the Mount.
‘‘ Thenow capabilitiesbedeemed
o f
an th eOvens,
brought into Melbourne as has yet been comparatively
small, but it is known that large quantities
all ha
reportsve been
carried
in
atprivatelyattesting
goverland
richness
htooe Sydney,ss ofthe locality. The
Sydney papers state, for instance, that a gold buyer in
that city lately purchased 500 ounces in one lot, from
two men who had just come down from the Ovens. The
data for determining the value of these digging are in-
complete, but enough has been shown to indicate the
existence of large quantities of the precious metal there.
The labour is severe, owing to a superabundance of
water, but the chances are greatly in favour of the in-
dustrious worker.
" There are various minor spots throughout the ter-
ritory where gold has been found by explorers, and in
paying quantities. Some of these cases are kept secret
by the discoverers ; others are known, but the limited
extent of the deposits prevents any numerous party from
engaging upon them. But the three fields already
men-
tioned may be considered the grand centres of gold-
digging operations in Victoria."