The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-21 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

California, its Gold and its Inhabitants. By the
Author of " Seven years on the Slave Coast of
Africa." 2 vols. Newby.

These volumes present an entertaining panorama
of the first gold diggings, though it does not leave
a very favourable impression on the reader's mind
as to the morals and manners of the inhabitants.
It is true that the writer informs us that since the
period he refers to matters have in some degree
improved, and that in speaking of the American, it
must be remembered that he is represented as he
appears in California, where, of course, the re-
straints of law and civilisation are but little felt.
The work before us is compiled from a journal kept
by the author in 1852, during his residence in
California. He begins his records at San Fran-
cisco with the arrival of the European and Atlantic
mails. On these occasions crowds of people rush
to the Post-office and take their stand in single file.
Two or three hundred wait sometimes in this man-
ner, the first comer having the first place. Some-
times a Yankee who expects no letters secures a
good place early and sells his place in the line to an
impatient later corner. The characteristic
shrewdness and sharpness in striking bar-
gains of the Americans, is frequently alluded
to. " There is no childhood in the American
children," he says further on ; " here chil-
dren are sententious, crude, and premature."
The recklessness with which human life is de-
stroyed is somewhat startling to more orderly so-
cieties. If a man rushes into a tavern and stabs
another to death, or shoots him in the street, the
jury do not consider the crime itself, but the in-
ducement to it. "It is not whether he killed a
man or not ; it is whether they think he had a
right to kill or not." In speaking of shooting he
gives us an account of the singular way in which
General Ross met his death before Baltimore, in
the last war with America. Three boys, the eldest
only sixteen, went out to see the soldiers, after the
retreat of the Americans into the city. They crept
along ',in the brushwood fearing to be taken pri-
s mers. The eldest carried a rifle as most Ameri-
can boys do. They heard the tramp of horses,
and, looking out from their place of concealment,
saw three officers riding up an open space in the
wood. They were General Ross, Admiral Cock-
burn, and Colonel Mullins. They fired the rifle
and the general fell. They immediately stole back
to Baltimore quite frightened at what they had
done till praised for it. There is a curious account
of the first discovery of gold at Captain Sutler's
fort, near Sacramento, with the main facts of
which our readers are doubtless familiar. During
the three months of March, April, and May, 20,923
emigrants arrived at San Francisco. The imports
of bullion during the same period were 10,120,828
dollars, the exports 9,533,970. When it is re-
membered that it has now been a city less than
three years these statistics are somewhat remark-
able. Few persons, however, would feel tempted
to try their fortune among such desperadoes, the
descriptions of the murders, robberies, and execu-
tions in the second volume being really frightful.
However, the volumes contain some pleasant light
reading, and give us a picture of California life as
it was a few years since, and doubtless to a great
extent it is still the same.

VACANCIES, APPOINTMENTS AND. PRO
MOTIONS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.

The Foreign Department.—The office of minister
plenipotentiary at Hanover hal become vacant by the
retirement of the Hon. J. D. Bligh. The consulship of
Buffalo, U.S., has become vacant by the promotion of
Mr, R. L. Swif`. Prisons Department.—Captain C. R.
Knight has resigned his appointment as director of Irish
c 'nvict prisons, an i has been succeeded by Captain J. S.
Whitty, director of English convict prisons. A director.
ship of convict i.,risons, England has been rcndered vacant,
by the promotio❑ of Captain J. S. Whitty. East India
Company.—The Rev. Dr. Au4us has been appointed an
examiner in English literature and history of candidates
for the civil service of the East India Company. Bank
of England.—A vacancy has been caused in the Bank
Stock Three per Cent. Reduced Transfer Office by the
death of Mr. F. V. Elmer. A clerkship in the Three
per Cent. Transfer Office has been rendered vacant by
the death of Mr. T. W. Duff. The Board of Trade.—
Mr. W. Singleton has been appointed office keeper in
the department of the registrar general of seamen. Cus-
toms.—The office of comptroller at the port of Belfast
has been rendered vacant by the death of Mr. J. W.
Tr nisdell. Mr. J.'Hoar has been promoted from third
to second class of searchers in London. Mr. T. L. Wil-
liams has been promoted from fourth to third class of
searchers in London. Mr. J. H. Shanklin has been
promoted from second to first class of searchers at Li-
verpool. Mr. E. Glover has been promoted from third
to second olass of searchers at Liverpool. Ireland.—
Mr. J. Owen, architect to the Board of Works, has re-
tired on superannuation of 1,000/. per annum, his full
salary. Mr. J. 11. Owen (eon of Mr. J. Owen), unior
clerk of works, has been appointed architect to the Board
of Works at a salary of SOO/. There is a vacancy in the
office of junior clerk of works by the promotion. of Mr. J.
H. 0 wen.—Civil Service Gazette.

rgWe hear that the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, having
teen recommended to take German waters, has gone to
Carlsbad.— Wiltshire Independent.
THE MAILS.—SOUTIIAMPTON, June 20.--The Penin•
solar and Oriental Company's screw steam-ship Ava,
Captain Field, sailed this afternoon for Gibraltar, Malta,
and Alexandria, with the India and Medi zerranean mails,
20 passengers, 180,3051. in specie for India, 10,0001.
for Alexandria, and an average cargo. The Tagus,
Captain Christian, with the malls from Gibraltar, Cadiz,
Lisbon, Oporto, and Vigo, is expected about Tuesday
next. The Sultan, Captain Cook, will convey the out-
ward Peninsular mails of the 27th.