The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-28 00:00:00

THE COLONY OF VICTORIA.

The following more specific items of intelligence are
abridged from the MeThou, ne Argus, of May 26 :
Since our last no new gold fields have been discovered,
and the full value of the new diggings at Tarrengower and
thew, of which we have previously spoken, has not been
ascertained. It appears that the climate and country
at Tarrengower are naturally very dry, and the diggers
have hot, at the date of our last intelligence, been able
to make much progress with their accumulated washing-
stuff. At Otneo, in Gipps' Land, on the other hand, the
country is so extremely wet, that comparatively little
can be done till the height of summer. As a favourable
circumstance we may mention, however, that a nugeet
weighing 19i ounces has been recently discovered at this
new locality, ffording another instance of the great dif-
fuion of the precious metal throughout the colony. All
the old-established gold fields continue their supplies
with considerable regularity, as will be seen by the sub-
joined copy of the escort returns :—Mount Alexander,
Bendigo, and Tarrengower—Week ending March 25,
18,244 ; April 1, 18,571 ; April 8, 20,51,6 ; April 15,
16.815 ; April 22, 19,368 ; April 29, 18,275 ; May .6,
21,391; May 13, 17,198; and May 20, 19,307 ounces.
The return from Ballarat for the same weeks were
respectively-19,860 ; 12,607 ; 17,476 ; 14,410 ; 11,297 ;
9.538 ; 14,875 ; and 18,002 ounces.
From the Ovens the receipts for escort during the same
period were 25,1101. ; and from Goulburne and Mqvur,
2,361/.
The above table indicates the relative produce which
the different fields are yielding ; but in order to show
more clearly the condition of our great golden interest,
we exhibit below at a glance a comparison of the amounts
respectively received by escort, and shipped in similar
periods, in 1853 and 1854 :
Gold received by escort. Gold shipped.
1853 • 1854 153 1854
oz. oz. oz. oz..
January 186,695 154,119 ...... 266,868 166,420
February 172,329 136,579
March 169,654 153,431
April 170,427 182,807

~...........-........... .-..-...............1.,,.

699,025 626,966 724,619 713,230
It will be observed that in the first period the
amount brought by escort is
,very little less than
the amount shipped, while in the latter period the
difference is no less than 86,000 ounSes. The in-
creased amount which must have been conveyed
privately doubtless arises from the greater coin
parative security of the roads. Another remarkable fact
is the nearly equal amount produced in each year, as
shown by the shipments in the respective periods. Like
those of C114°1,41. it now seems apparent that the gold
Lids of Australia will bear working without exhaustion
for a long period of years ; and we would remind our
distant readers that, up to this very time, the modes of
extracting the precious metal from the earth floe
of the rudest character, and that it is difficult
to predict what may be thu results when such rich de-
posits are entered upon with all the aids of scientific
knowledge and mechanical ingenuity.
A new coal field has been discovered on the BarraboOl
Hills, about five miles from Geelong, by Mr. Thomas,
an innkeeper, who has sunk to the depth of 340 feet on
his property and found coal, after expending upwards of
3.0001. It is not well adapted for the manufacture of
gas, but produces an excellent coke, which burns with
comparatively little ashes and no perceptible sulphurous
fumes, and Li heating power is equal to the best sampleS.
If previously dried this coal would yield about 63 per
.cent. of coke.

We have for months been proclaiming a glutted mar-
ket, but all on a sudden it has been discovered that in
mail), articles, instead of a glut, there is an actual scar-
city. The truth seeaeiiiiindeswtt
hooub
goldge that
sn
taprye pie
dt h
ainnvuet
nirbuaeskriii
nei
gdi f
intovery inexperiencedwitb th
their purchases have not been sufficiently careful in
reference to the quality of the goods and the mode Of
packing ; the result has been that the accumulated old
stocks of the old world have been sent to Melbourne.
Tl.is did not operate so prejudicially in reference to
dry goods. They remain on hand. But a large pro-
portion of the, goods were perishable. Provisions, pre-
serves, oilmen 's stores, &c., &c., were rotting, and bills
against shipment were corning to maturity. The only
resource was the auction, and a sacrifice. Soft
goods of course have also been sacrificed at auc-
tion ; but we believe the most serious losses that have
been sustained have been caused by the putrefaction of
perishable articles, originally unsound. The consequence
is that at this moment, after shipments that would have
glutted fur years any country with a similar population,
this market is now bare of provisions, preserves, and
this.
momenta te,riasnhdabfloergm"adnys irnnosroituhnsdpcaosnt,dpitriin'nne butter, and
a t ham, hi
momen
;
pohbtraoceoarnt.
, and similar articles have realised
rule thatahandso an
In fact, it may be laid down as a general
original invoice of sound good articles, of every descrip-
tionpi ice
showed
n thi s
that
exceptnlarket.
The
hsoft
tablesgood s
nwill
ourlast
command
up to the end of the first quarter of 1854 our imports,
excessive as they had been, had gone on increasing ; and
summary
a fair
for the year ending sth April the declared value of im-
epnoornnts-aotu ts hseu pmo
ofr t -,1‘617e51,b4-o7u2rtr.7e
asalfoorlielowhsad:_reached the
Quarters ending. Value.
sth July, 1853 .£4,115.233
10th October
sth July, 1854 4,153,527
sth April, 1854
5,070,421

£17,675,472
Within the last two weeks, however, it appeals from
the Custom returns that imports have very materially
decreased. In the week ending 6th May instant ti,e
amount was 416,7631 In the week ending May 13, the
amount was 270,1731. ; and in the week ending 20th
May. the anion /it was 232,658/. The latter amount for
the year would give 12,000,0001 The chief items in
which the diminution has taken place are, haberdashery,
slops, blankets, woollens, cottons, buildi g materiak,
iron houses, hardware, stationery, beer, spirits, and
wine fqightly). This relief to our market has not come
a initiate too soon, fur the stocks of all these, except
the last, are immense.
Notwithstanding the immense amount of ready money
in the hands of the colonists, the demand for money
capital continues greater than the supply. The rate of
interest has been very moderate, and for this we must
thank the banks, which have judiciously supplied the
demand that has arisen. In the first quarter of 1853
the debts due to the banks amounted to 1,295,6511.; in
the first quarter of 1854 to 5,028,472/., making an in-
crease (alino-t wholly by discounting short-dated bills)
of 3i732.8111. Part of this amount is found in the in-
creased circilation and deposit,, but a very large por-
tion 'ias been expended on houses, fences, cultivation,
and ?ermanent improvements. The circulation and de-
posit 3 amount to 8.076,1661., which, for a population
amotriting, in the first quarter of this year, to about
250,)00, wo&d give upwards of 321. for 'every man,
mama, and chill in the colony. Comparing with Scot-
land, the bilthplace of model banks, we find that in that
country the circulation of notes in 1851 was 3,350,0001.
population of 2,900,000, or about Is. 3d. per head ;
while
in Victoria the circulation 2,089.911/, for a
fapooipiuiation of 250,000, or more than Si. per head.

MELBOURNE LABOUR MARKET.
THURSDAY, MAY 25. , Tha demand for agricultural labourers has decreased A HINT Gazette
and says-.W
durirg the week. Female cooks, laundreses, iTtl? all their 11,I.sRtAeLessirieTifl:rtAificiaPPtioill'igs, we be-
general servants, are wanted. The following is the rate lieve the capture of the whole of these Russian forts in
of wages now paid, viz :-With rations :-Married America and Kanischatka is within the power of a
couples, without family, 1001. to 1101. per annum ; do, couple of frigates, aided by one or two war steamers.
with family, 901. to 1001, do. ; shepherds, 451. to 521 They are neither properly fortified nor efficiently garri-
do. ; hutkeepers, 401. to 45/. do. ; general useful soiled ; the possibility of any serious attack by an orga.
servants, 11. 15s. to 2/, per week ; bullock drivers on nised naval force having probably never entered into the
farms, 3/. to 3/, 10e, per week ; do. for the roads, 3/. 108. minds of the commandants-their very isolation and in-
to 4/. do. ; storekeepers, 701. to 901. per annum ; good significance having doubtless lulled them into a false
farm labourers, 1/. 15s. to 2/. a week ; ploughmen, 2/. I senirity. The next mail or two from California, or the
to 2i. 108. per week ; gardeners, 1001. to 120 per j Isthmus, may, therefore, be looked forward to with into-
annu n ; cooks, male, 31. to 41. per week ; waiters, rest, as resulting in not merely the announcement of the
1/. 10s. to 11. 15s. do. ; grooms, 701. to 100/. per an. commencement of the blockade, but the capture of
num, Without rations :-Compositors, 2s. (id. per Sitka, and one or two of the Russian frightes. ELM,
thousand ; ditto, 71. 7s. per week ; good hot se carpen- steam-sloop Argus had arrived at Aspinwall on
tens, town work, 11. ss. to li. 7s. per day ;
masons, . the 24th of June, and left next day for Jamaica, to
11. Sr. to 1/. 103. ; woodapliaers and fencers, 12s, 6,1, convoy the inail steamer Dee, as two privateers were
Per load ; blacksmiths for country work -and shoeing, said .to be lurking about in those latitudes. H.M.S.
1/. to 11, 58. per day ; labourers on the roads, with wood, Devastation was expected to convoy the Teviot, West
water, and tent accommodation, Ns. to 12s. per day. 1 India steamer, on law homeward trip."