The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-26 00:00:00

AMERICAN PAPERS.

The latest accounts from the gold regions are
dated San Francisco, February 7. We extract the
most interesting points from the lengthy details
which appear in the papers. From San Francisco,
on the 23d of January, Captain Folson writes as fol-
lows :

" Since my last private communication nothing has
occurred to change the general views I then ex-
pressed in relation to California. Within the last
few weeks much has been said and done in regard to
the organization of a Provisional Government for
this territory. several villages have appointed dele-
gates to attend a convention for the arrangement of
fundamental laws for the country, and other elections
are now understood to be taking place in the remote
parts of the country. It is proposed to have the
Convention assembled at the Pueblo de San Jose,
about sixty miles from this place, on the 4th March ;
but I believe it will be found impossible to assemble
all the delegates at that time, and it will probably be
found expedient to defer the meeting until it is known
that the present Congress has not acted on the ques•
tion of a territorial government.
" The only tribunals which have attempted any
jurisdiction in cases of murder, &c., some months
past are those formed for the occasion as it arises, and
offenders generally escape, or, if they are taken, it is
amidst the frenzy of popular excitement, where the
guilty and innocent may be victims together. Seve-
ral executions have taken place in pursuance of this
kind of law, and it is supposed that several others
will be announced by the next mail from the south.
In the meantime, outrages are occurring in all quar-
ters of the country, and the public astonishment has
scarcely subsided after one murder has transpired be-
fore another is committed more horrible than the first.
House-breaking, thefts, and robberies are of almost
hourly occurrence.

" Within the last five or six weeks we have had
weather of extraordinary severity. It is said to be
the coldest season experienced here since that of 1823-
24. In the gold mines the snow nas been four feet
deep, and at Sutter's Fort ice has formed three inches
in thickness. Within two weeks the streets of this
village have been repeatedly whitened with snow and
hail, and the hills within sight, on the opposite side of
the bay (12 miles distant), have been capped with snow
for the last 15 days. Very heavy and protracted falls
of rain have now swept off the snow from all the
hills within sight; but high in the mountains, among
the mines, it is thought that they have had nothing
but snow. If so, it must have fallen to a very un-
usual depth. We now have cool winds and occa-
sional rains, but the severity of the latter, it is believed,
is now past.
"As a general thing, the operations among the
mines were suspended on the approach of winter;
but large numbers of persons built log houses in the
mountains, and, having laid in a winter's stock of
provisions, continued among the mines for the prose-
cution of their business. It is now understood that
the extraordinary severity of the weather has pre-
vented them from effecting much, and there can be
no doubt that much suffering will be the result.
Many of the log houses were good, or at least com-
fortable, and some of the parties were tolerably well
supplied with provisions and clothing. This remark,
however, is not by any means of general application,
and there can be no doubt that many are suffering
for food, clothing, and shelter. After the winter
rains have once set in, it
.is almost impossible to send
goods into the mountains, and large numbers
have, no donbt, been too reckless and improvident
to foresee the consequences and provide for them.
Those who are now in the mountains are
almost exclusively Indians (indigenous population)
and foreigners, or emigrants. The Spaniards and
Californians have retired to their ranchos, or to the
various towns about the country, to await the return
of spring. Many of the people who have emigrated
from Oregon are in the mines.

" I believe the steamers vid Panama will afford a
more certain, expeditious, and comfortable way of
reaching California than any other; and for emi-
grants in the eastern, middle, and southern states it
will probably be the cheapest. Where families are
coming with the intention of remaining in the coun-
try, I believe the voyage round Cape Horn is pre-
ferable in all respects to a journey across the moun-
tains. It is cheaper, safer, more comfortable, and
quite as expeditious, generally speaking, as that over
the mountains; and for emigrants leaving the eastern
and middle states far preferable to any route, except
that across the isthmus at Panama by the new line of
steamers."

The advices to the 7th of February were brought
to New York by Mr. Suwerkrop, late Danish Consul
at the Sandwich Islands. N'Ve give them as published
in the Herald :

" The latest letter states that after a winter of the
greatest severity, fine weather had set in, the snow
had begun to melt, and many diggers had started,
and were 'on the eve of starting, for the mines, to
recommence operations, and that the sales of goods
had, in consequence, begun to increase. The firm,
Messrs. J. B. and Co., by whom the letter was
written, had purchased a considerable quantity of
gold, on commission, at 14 dolls. 50c. per ounce, but
could not purchase another parcel at that rate. The
price of gold had risen, in consequence of the large
arrivals of specie from San Bias, Valparaiso, &c., and
which has been placed in the hands of the merchants
at San Francisco for investment. About 700 persons
had arrived at San Francisco from Valparaiso, and
about 400 from the Sandwich Islands. There were
about 7,000 in California ready to commence opera-
tions in the mines the moment the weather would
permit. There were not many in San Francisco;
they were scattered over the country—at Sutter's-
fort, encamped on the placers,' &c. House room
was, of course, very scarce ; many diggers had pitched
their tents around the Bay of San Francisco. The
price of provisions had become more moderate. On
the 30th of January, flour in parcels was selling
at 10 dolls. per barrel; by the single barrel at
16 dolls. Pork was dull at 30 dolls per barrel. Salt
beef could scarcely be sold. No one would give 14
dulls. per barrel for it. It appears that, notwithstand-
iug the many reports to the contrary, the United
States store ship Lexington did not sail from San
Francisco for the United States till the 25th of •
Ja-
nuar
-y She bad 400,000 dollars in gold on board.
The largest lump that Mr. Suweikrop has seen
weighed 14 cz. He knew of a piece that weighed,
with the dirt, about 60 oz , which had been sold for
30 oz , it containing about that much of pure gold.
The British ship of war Calypso was at Mazatlan, to
leave soon for England. She would take away over
2,000,000 dolls. in specie. Of this there were over
5,000 oz. of California gold, and of this 1,000 oz. be-
longed to Mr. Suwerkrop. The reason he put it on
board the Calypso was, that he could not find a con-
veyance for it direct to the United States. Those
who think it strange that the gold does not reach this
country in larger quantities should take this fact into
consideration. The California gold put on board the
Calypso was brought down by the Mary Frances from
San Francisco. While Mr. Suwerkrop was at Mazatlan
California gold was sold at 15 dolls. per ounce, and the
proceeds put on board any vessel free of charge. After
going into a careful calculation with Mr. Suwerkrop,we
were assured that about4,ooo,ooo dOll s. in gold had been
obtained from the mines. Of these 1,300,000 dolls.
had passed through the Custom-house at San Fran-
cisco, valued at 10 dolls. to 13 dolls. per ounce;
700,000 dolls. had gone off in dribblets, in trunks,
boxes, and on the persons of its owners, to Oregon,
Valparaiso, Sydney, New South Wales, Sandwich
Islands, the United States, England, &c., to save
freight. Several lots of 10,000 dolls. each had gone
off in this way. 1,000,000 dolls. was in the hands of
the merchants of San Francisco, and about 1,000,000
dolls. was scattered over California in large and small
parcels in the possession of parties, miners, &c , that
had not been sent down to San Francisco. This, Mr.
Suwerkrop assured us, was a very moderate calcula-
tion. It was made with the greatest care, in order
not to deceive the public. Mr. Suwerkrop says there
are several sunken rocks in and contiguous to the
harbour of San Francisco, which are dangerous to
navigation ; and that the United States Government
ought to take measures to place buoys on them, and,
in addition, to have the harbour properly surveyed,
from San Francisco, through Suisoom-bay, to the
mouth of the Sacramento river. If this were done, it
would greatly facilitate the commerce of California.
Ho tells a good story of the dues which foreigu
vessels entering San Francisco have to pay. They
are charged a dollar per ton for harbour fees, half of
which is for lighthouse dues, but not a single light-
house is there, and the •remaining half for buoys,
where there is not a boy to mark the rocks and shoals
on which they are liable to be wrecked."

(From the Manchester Guardian.)
marketuardian.)
STATE OF TRADE.
MANCHESTER, APRIL
24.—The
still droops
under the weight of a full production, upon which the
irregular and most inadequate purchases now in pro-
gress do not tell with any effect. On the whole, the
tendency of prices is to decline. This is the general
characteristic of the state of things to-day, making al
lowance for such exception as we shall point out. In
yarns there is some increase of operations on the part
of the German houses, not, to any extent, for immediate
shipment, but rather in the way of speculation, mani-
festly induced by the excessive lowness of pricer. We
have heard, however, of experimental shipments made
by new channels of communication with the mann.
facturing States of Germany, by the lame, and
through the northern ports of Holland. These, how-
ever,are necessarily, as yet, to a very small extent. In
certain kinds of yarn a little more steadiness is appa-
rent; in other kinds this can hardly be said to be the
ease. For India anti China, the business is small, and
OA rather worse terms for the spinners. The Mae re-1

GAS-LIGHT

Name of Company.

£ s. d.
100 0 0
41 13 4
100 0 0
100 0 0

►oo 0 0

raid.

4 s. d.

:PAINX:

Paid.