The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-22 00:00:00

MELBOURNE GOLD CIRCULAR.

A very steady business has been transacted
throughout the week at an advance of 3d. on last
week's quotations ; the market opened at 695. 3d.,
and left off at 695. 6d.

By the arrival of two escorts this week from the
Ovens, bringing collectively 3,190 ounces, parties
who have been kept in suspense willnow be able to
form an opinion comparatively betwixt the likeli-
hood of success at this new field, or those of Forest
Creek or Bendigo. The first two escorts that ar-
rived from Ballarat in October, 1851, only brought
2,199 ounces, and many diggers at the Ovens, from
the Sydney side, are keeping their gold dust to for-
ward there, when an opportunity occurs. The
crowds that were hurrying to the Ovens have been
partially stopped, and are retracing their steps, or
returning to Melbourne. There is no doubt that
in course of time these new fields will be thoroughly
tested, and their true value found out. The sea-
son is approaching when this can be done, as from
the nature of the soil it is more suited for summer
than for winter operations. The expectations of
diggers are getting so extravagant since their great
success at the older fields that it is no ordinary
quantity in a new field that will satisfy them. We
have seen this instanced in the Ballarat fields ;
they were all but deserted for Mount Alexander,
but are again being occupied, and are handsomely
rewarding those who are persevering. The same
thing may take place at the Ovens.
The long looked for steamers Sydney and Great
Britaix have both arrived this week within five
days of each other, although the latter left Liver-
pool 21 days after the Sydney left London. Their
arrival had not the slightest effect upon the mar-
ket ; in fact the price has now reached that margin
that the purchaser for remittance hesitates whether
to send gold dust or bank drafts. Should the
banks alter the rate of discount, gold dust will be
affected in a corresponding degree. With the
present high price of gold, and ten per cent.
charged on advance by the banks, the purchaser on
speculation is shut out of the market altogether.
The amount of specie received during the last
two weeks is 352,8001.
_ _

Exchange on London on drafts against gold, by
pothecated 40s. per ounce, and ten per cent. dis-
count by all the banks.

Freight of gold, delivered at the Bullion Office,
London, qd per ounce, and 64d. by steamer.

MARKET .NEWS-(THIS DAY.)

COVENT GARDEN.
Very large supplies of vegetables aro on sale here for the
time of year. The demand for them is steady, at stationary
prices. Good samples of potatoes, from their scarcity, are
commanding more money. Frait was firm, at full
quotations.
FRUIT.—Pino apples, 3s 6d to 6s Ckl ; hot-house grapes,
8s to 10s; Hambro ditto is to is 6d per lb ; apples, dessert,
4s 6d to 7s 6d ; cooking ditto, 3s to Os per bushel ; pears,
4s to 8s per half sieve ; lemons, is to 2s Od ; new oranges,
6s to 10s per 100 ; filberts, 10d to is per lb ; cob-nuts,
1008 per 1001bs.
VEGETABLES.—Cabbages, 8d to 1s ; Brussels sprouts,
is 6d to 2s 6d per half sieve ; greens, is 3d to 2s 3d per
dozen bunches 7 • cauliflowers, 8d to 2s per dozen ; potatoes,
80s to 1.508 per ton ; turnips, 28 to 2 6d ; carrots, 2s 6d to
4s per dozen bunches ; celery, 8d to is 3d per bundle ;
spinach, is to 2s per half sieve; onions, is 6d to 2s per
half sieve ; leeks, id to 2d per bunch ; shallots, 6d to 8d ;
garlic 6d to 8d per lb ; endive, is to is 6d per score ; small
salad 2d per punnet ; horseradish, is to 4s per bundle ;
parsley, 2s to 3s per dozen bunches.