The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-02 00:00:00

EVENING,

TUESDAY

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

PROM TILE MORNING PAPERS OE THIS DAY.

TIMES.—GoId is likely to prove a drug in the
market. There has been a fresh discovery of this pre-
cious metal in New South Wales. Advices recently
received from Sydney inform us that gold has been
discovered in 1 rge quantities at Bathurst, about 150
miles from that place. It does not appear that the
report has been set afloat in any loose and unsatisfac-
tory manner. The news came with all the confirma-

tion it can receive from the fiat of Government in-
spectors, and the co-operation of magistrates and leading
personages in the colony. We are told that such was
the credit attached to the rumour upon the spot that
people of all callings and denominations had abandoned
their usual business, and hurried off to the gold dis-
tricts of Bathurst. Both sexes, all ages, and all pro-
fessions, bad become confounded in the universal
appetite for gold. The blacksmiths could net furnish
picks fast enough to supply the cupidity or eagerness
of the adventurers. The gravest personages were to
be seen trotting to the ecene of action, their saddle-
bows laden with domestic implements which might,
upon an emergency, be made to serve as mining in-
struments ; washhand basins, cullenders, tin pots, gar-
den tools—whatever, in short, came first to band, was
converted into a rough machine for turning up the
soil, or sifting the sand which might be supposed
to contain the precious dust. Whatever of exag-
geration there may be in the thousand 'amours
that were flying about, there can be no doubt as to
the impression and feeling in the colony itself. A
blanket, a "damper," and a pickaxe were reckoned an
ample outfit for the future millionaire. All the usual
avocations of the colonists had been entirely deserted
in consequence of the universal and all-absorbing
thirst for gold. The question naturally arises—what
degree of credit can we, living in England, attach to
a report which is likely to exercise so important an
influence upon the destinies of mankind? We knew
even before that the soil of Australia was teeming
with mineral treasures of every kind. There is no a
priori improbability in such a discovery. On the
contrary, we should be led to expect, where other
metals were found in so great abundance, that gold
and silver formed no exception to the general rule.
When we come to look for positive evidence, we find
it stated that the son of Mr. Neal, a brewer, had
picked up in the Bathurst district a piece of gold
weighing eleven ounces, which be bad disposed of
for 301. An old man had found several pieces
in masses, the united weight of which amounted
to two or three pounds. The manager of
the Union Bank of Australia—no mean

therity, one should suppose—bad met with a
success similar in kind, although less in degree.
He too had picked' up some fragments of the precious
metal, and the few handfuls of loose earth he brought
back with him from the scene of action had been pro-
perly manipulated, and from them a piece of gold had
been extracted about the size of a pea. The strongest
testimony remains behind. In a case of such import-
ance we need offer no apology for copying here the
exact words of our intelligence :—" On Wednesday
morning last Mr. Hargraves, accompanied by Mr.
Statchbury, the Government geologist, went to the
diggings, and with his own hands washed a pan of
earth in his presence, from which 21 grains of fine
gold were produced. He afterwards washed several
baskets of earth, and produced gold therefrom. Mr.
Stutchbury hereupon expressed his satisfaction, and
immediately furnished him with credentials, which
have since been forwarded to Government." However
small the credit we might be disposed to attach to any
mere popular impulse, it is undeniable that in the
present instance the frenzy of the colonists has not
been without some foundation in sober reason. It is
all very well for us, sitting here in judgment upon
the impulses of our antipodes, to treat such a report
as this with suspicion. Let us ask what our own
behaviour would have been had the leading geologists
in the mother country certified that scarcely below
the surface of the Welch mountains lumps of fine gold
were to be had at no greater cost of labour than is in-
volved in scratching the soil, and sifting the surface
earth in our eullepders ,and washhand.basins ? Ere
a week had elapsed, what would have become of a
large percentage from the two and a half million in-
habitants of London? The wisest and most cautious
among us would suddenly have discovered that the
mountain ;sir of Wales was peculiarly grateful to the
human constitution. Some of us in first-class car-
riages, some in second—some in no carriages at all—
we should tell have made our way to the scene of ac-
tion, and (radeavoured to make our fortunes at one
bold stroke. There is no inherent improbability in the
report. It comes is us confirmed by the strongest po-
sitive testi peony. Australia may yet put California
to shame. It is said that from the mountain ranges
to an ind efinite extent in the interior the region
named is one vast gold field. If the expectations
of the discoverers should prove true, and the tract
of countrs in the neighbourhood of Bathurst pro-
duce the expected crop of bullion, the exchanges
will ere long be seriously affected, and all the com-
mercial transactions of mankind respond to the de-
preciation in the price of gold. We know but of one
consideration which might to a certain degree affect
the credf eility of the report. For the last sixty years
—if we are not mistaken—the tract in question has
been wan dared over by the colonists'and their convict
servants ; but until the present moment not a syllable
has ever been breathed of the neighbourhood of
Bathurst r6s a gold producing region. The ignorance
of the settlers and their domestics may, however, be
accepted a a a sufficient counterpoise against this draw-
back; awl, in the face of positive testimony, we do
not know that it should be permitted to turn the
balance. Everything must have a beginning; and it
would be .bard to say that the value of the _Mexican
or Californian mines has been ushered into notoriety
under faiiesr auspices. There is, however, one
thing to be guarded against. The discovery of
this Austr alien gold field is the commencement of
a popular delusion. It must be remembered that
under the most favourable ciroumstances a very
small portia al of the adventurers will reap fame
or fortune :as the result of their enterprise. Almost
certain disappointment—if not misery and death—
awaits the great bulk of the actual adventurers. As
far .as men a speculators are concerned, before this re-
port shall have assumed a definite commercial shape,
we solemnly bid them to remember the experience of
their pred,)cessors in the South American mines about
a quarter int a century ago. Some few men will make
large fortunes—the great bulk of the adventurers will
lose their time, and probably their lives, in the pur-
suit of -a sudden transition of fortune. Mining ope-
rations pi eneminently require skill. and experience.
Without these indispensable qualifications, for ono
prize then 3 are ninety.nine. blanks.. ' These warnings
apart; it its impossible to regard the discovery of so
vast an at count of gold in Australia otherwise than
as one of tbe most important events of our time. It
would:neern to be established as a law of modern de-
velopment, that when it becomes necessary that a race
or people 'must spread, the soil to which they should
be tempted is baited with gold. The impulses that
knit men to their native country are powerful, but
they cann on resist the glitter of actual gold thrown
broadcast upon the surface of the earth.
ADVERTISER.—Oar readers, we doubt not,
have thein. eyes, and their thoughts just now stead-
fastly fixe cl on therstate of Matters ire Germany and
Italy. T hey wilt"' 4e.figenlonge, benapaid for their
trouble. They ane)r bet ay any ,ela)tee or any hour.
Everythil sg is ripe fur„ se great expfolion. The ma-
terials are ready in countries for. a tremendous
outbreak of'the pent tip' feelkags,.an,At'eUppressed pur-
poses, of the people. The, Creamane !Tel Italians re-
sident in this anci. other: fo'reign lanai; do not regard
another i neurrecilina as ii,, coßtingeWS :It is es much
believed i in. as if it'llad hireaclyettatAsplisee. The ques-
tion is no longer put to theinselsies, onto others," Will
another revolution collie ?" The dole question is—
" What ought the people to do when it has occurred ?"
This last is a grave question. It is one which ought
to be well considered now. It is icfinitely more im-
portant than the question—How shall we most effec-
turtly and most expeditiously overthrow the existing
despotisert ? The latter work will be done for them.
Their ai.d. is not needed. The Pope in Italy, and Austria
and Preis sia in Germany, are doing the work in excellent
style. Its could not be in better hands. Mazzini and
Rouge, and their fellow-labourers in the cause of popu-
lar progress, are poor revolutionists compared with the
Goverrenients of the Pope, of Austria, and of Prus-
sia. The latter will do more to accelerate the doom
of all existing continental tyrannies, in one short
hour, than the exiled friends of liberty in Italy and
Germany could do in a year. But though matters
are so near their consummation in Germany and
Italy, that no one need ask himself or his neighbour
what they ought to do to hasten the great revolution-
ary tubs snt, the other question, as to what ought to be
done w:een.the coming change has occurred, is one of
the most momentous kind, and ought to receive the
immediate and best attention of the friends of civil and
religious liberty in these unfortunate countries. The
character and the worth of the impending revolutions
will be entirely dependent on the purposes to which
they aro turned, after they have taken place. Last
time Vienna and Rome lost the benefits of their
revolutions solely because the people of these places
had so entirely fixed their thoughts and aspirations on
the way in which the desired changes in the
governments of their country could be best achieved,
that it never occurred to them what they were to do
witilihe revolution when they had obtained it, When
tha4;ecple of Vienna Mind that 'Metternich hid
vaiiiehed, and the ltotnans learnt that the Pope had
escaped from the :Vatican in the habiliments of one
of his own iacqueys, they fancied, in the simplicity
of their souls, that the work had all been done—that
the revolution had been consummated—and that it
now, only reinnined for them to reap the fruits of
theii: patriotic efforts and sacrifices. Sad experience
soorfetold them a different tale. Many months had
thoaTfapsed before they found how much they had
deceived themselves. 'What occurred in Vienna and
Rome, soon after the successful revolutions in those
cities, we need not now describe. It is known to all.