The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-20 00:00:00

THE COLONY OF VICTORIA.

(Front the Melbourne Argus.)

S Accordance with our usual custom, we com-
-; summary of news for transmission to England
`.!ce Formosa steamer. As, however, the vessel
intends to stay a few hours in the harbour,
(sae review, is of necessity, more imperfect and
lief than we should desire. We hope that on all
future occasions the steamers will either make a
reasonable stay in our port prior to their departure
:.'_segive the public warning of their intention to
leave immediately on their arrival from Sydney.
The previous summary of the Argus developed the
wect of this colony up to the 27th of September,
the date of the departure of the Australian steamer
and the chief incidents of importance and our pre-
sent condition are as below detailed;—
The yield of gold still continues very large,
although it scarcely keeps pace with the increasing
number of diggers. It is not to be supposed, how-
ever, that the gold is inexhaustably abundant, and
qtri ways be obtained by the simplest processes.
It is evident that in proportion as a given locality
is worked the necessity for finer scientific modes
of operation will increase. That necessity is be-
ginning to be felt at the most prolific fields,
and the average gain of the digger is observably
diminishing. Gold-digging is of all pursuits the
most fortuitous, not only with respect to individual
success, but in regard to the auriferous capa-
bilities of given localities. The wealth of a par-
ticular spot cannot be known till it is fully worked,
and this involves the necessity of unsuccessful la-
bour in some cases. Hence arise the fluctuations
in the pursuit—the, alternate success and failure of
individuals, and the changing value of particular
localities. That gold does abound to a most sur-
prising extent every one admits ; but it is not so
easy to point out the spot in which the digger can
v-srk with, certain success. The whole pursuit
.xas to be a series of experiments at best : the
suarvel is that here they should have been so arria.z-
ingly successful.
The largest mass of gold yet found was picked
sr a month ago at Bendigo, near the spot where
281 b. lump was found. It weighed 461 b., and
was valued at 2,1001. It was a singular specimen,
deeply coated with quartz in many places. It has
been sent to England by the Choringhee, for exhi-
bition.
The Ovens Diggings are not proving as produc-
-Us eas was at first anticipated. The experiment,
however, has not been fully carried out there.
Tile general impression seems to be that there is a
very rich field in that district.
In South Australia, gold has been found at a spot
25 miles from Adelaide. The number of diggers
who have tried the Echunga Diggings has not yet
teen sufficiently large to admit of a decisive esti-
lt,cate of their auriferous capabilities being formed.
la at we think we are warranted in saying that
there is a strong probability that Echunga is only
one of the innumerable localities in Australia where
gold exists, but in such'a finely diffused state, that
thie rude process of the digger will never make
"working them remunerative, whatever may here-
after be accomplished by science and combination.
The commencement of steam communication—
the event so anxiously looked for by the colonies as
so advantageous to both countries—has not been
very auspicious. Five steamers have arrived up to
the present time, and none of them have achieved
a passage much superior to that of many sailing
vessels. The Australia and the Sydney were the
Worst cases ; judging from these specimens, we are
not disposs,d to augur much for the Australian
Sssara Navigation Company's enterprise. The
Cleisark and Formosa, were better, but not equal to
what we should expect from the splendid fleet
under the control of the Peninsular and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company; The Great Britain
made a passage of 83 days ; but probably she would
'stave distanced all her rivals by some days had it
not been for a mistake about the coals. We hope
very soon to witness the results to be attained by
the Panama route ; but meantime we beg to im-
press upon . the proprietors of steamers to Australia
that they may just as well send out sailing-vessels
if the steamers cannot make passages of about 60
to 70 slays. The prolonged passage of the Sydney
was a positive evil of great magnitude ; it detained
the !nails needlessly, confused commercial transac-
tions, and caused very great anxiety.
In connexion with this subject, we may mention
Vaat an immense increase in intercolonial traffic had
fs. iced a corresponding rise in the value of steam- ' vessels for the trade. A striking instance recently
occurred. The Clarence, a small steamer built in
±:s nglan d for the Australian colonies, was sold for
2.1,95(')/. ; while her first cost, including the expense
of bl_inging her out, was about 13,0001. She is
tile. property of a company in Van Diemen's Land,
Ll runs between this port and Lauuneeston. Au-
•Y, her instance was the Keera ; she cost about
t,OOO/. in England not many months since, and
vss sold the other clay for 10,0001. These facts
s soak for themselves as to the profits made upor
rue exportation of steamers, alul the rate of remu-
:aeration at which they can be worked.
The financial prosperity of the colony is evidenced
I‘s- the fact that the revenue for the past September
quarter amounted to 462,3401. ls. 5d., while in the
sTesponding quarter of the previous year it was
tinly 53,1941. 6s. ld. Land was sold. during the
quarter to the value of 267,7541. 4s. 10d. The
golf: licenses yield 100,7951. 10s. 4d., besides
10,897/. 4s. 11d. for escort fees. The Customs'
duties alone realised 55,3781. Bs. 10d.
On the other hand the public expenditure has
enormously increased. The estimates for next
year have just been laid before the Legislative
Cev.ncil. The ways and means are set down at
33,6001., the expenditure at 1,749,0421. Of
Va is latter sum not less- than 412,715/. is for the
is lice establishments, 94,4491. for penal establish-
ments, the administration of justice 42,2801.
I eilitary 67,4891., making a total of 616,933/. to be
spent in protecting life and property and repressins-
seine. That such a sum should be deemed
ilecs:ssary for the purpose in so limited a corn-
soanity, is sufficiently significant of the blessings
to be reaped from close proximity to a penal
colony. The Secretary of State has very wisely
ceded the entire control of the revenue derivable
from gold to our Legislative Council. Acting upon
a mggestion contained in the official dispatch
which announced that boon, our Executive most
le)wisel.ye announced its intention of levying an
export duty of 2s. 6d. an ounce on gold. No
tax could be more unpopular, injudicious, or
unn'acessary—unpopular, because it is univer-
sally opposed by the diggers, who already pay
the tax of 30a. a-month; injudicious, because
it would promote smuggling and disarrange our
commercial relations with neighbouring colonies ;
and unnecessary, because the license fee, if pro-
PerLy collected, would yield a revenue sufficiently
large for the public requirements. The measure
htis not yet, however, obtained the consent of the
'Legislature, and the probability is, that it will be
rejected ; should it be passed, there might be a
movement on the part of the diggers to refuse pay-
ment of the license fee. On a former occasion the
Government sustained a signal defeat when it at-
tempted to double the fee. A similar result is by
no means impossible in the present case ; but pub-
lic opinion has been declared so strongly, and in so
many ways, against the new impost, that it is
scarcely likely to be exacted even by a body which
is mesh a mockery of representation as our Colonial Legislature.

All recent advices agree in showing the extreme
aixe
nxietyaofthat is felt among the woollen manufac-
effect of the Great Britain with respect to the probable
We arr 3 hayp gold, discovery upon our yield of wool.
opigherefore, to be able to report so far
.r.voura.bl
..,:g i s proceednion matter as to state that the shear-
-seivlmith its usual regularity, that the
.:tfiers find
number
uolfty in securing the services of
au. adequat©
re. moving the fleece, andmen, both for washing and
of
the
Wotholat there is every reason-
7-:db probability
ousts for shipment withoutbeing conveyed to the
serious delaany very ruinous ex-
panse or any very
,-The prices realised in the British
.ery poor encouragement to Australian ish markets affords
nteet a high rate of wages, thediffi settlers to
tr.nding with disease, and of getting up of for-
wardingcon-
their wool in first-rate style.
and
before warned those interested in tl importune
have
trade, and we now -warn them again mostnn P°rtpahnt
tica.ily, that there is a process going on vrheinich. has
-
il. most marked tendency to lead to the deteriora-
fn of our beautiful Australian wools. The rapid
ittflux of population, all immediately becoming
ligrge consumers of animal food, and able to pay
handsomely for it, must at no distant date, lead to
such a predominance of the value of the carcass, in
z•ropor'cion to that of the fleece, as to cause the
l:i,tter to be comparatively neglected.
Considering the enormous additions to our point-
In-ii?.111 from the mother country and other quarters,
r.F.ich
_are now and for the last few months hay.
1

`'E -an flowing in upon us,
report favourably
`'.: gratification to us that we. can it is a source of the great-
'3fl tne condition of the crops in the
We believe
Veoclucing districts of these colonies.
principal grain-
il'^t 1• 7
-- a most universaLy, a succession oftis-
ivNo-nor ha.s led to their present state being sa
fa.vour. able
fact ory. The high rates of prices have induced the
fa mew to make considerableefforts
LizArm,dtls. of land
sown, and the present prospects of
riv-_,. hest lead to keep up the
~ to a well-grounded hope of at least
4%.7 average crop. In his c lonybthequantity of
.tr ricl under wheat is lesstharth
iio last few seasons, but what trereeen the case for
to be good, and there is little
dont, seemslikely
t of its being
rtromptly and energetically harvssted. 0
But, looking at our prospects in our
there can
In the most favourable point of view ,sin crops
,
still be no doubt whatever, that we
shall shortly