The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-28 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

Commander his Serene Highness Prince Victor of
Hohenlohe Laugenberg (1857), to the Scouig,., 6,
paddle, at Devonport.

Lieutenant Hugh Campbell, who has lately served as
mate of the Urgent, screw store-ship, to the Scourge.
Master William H. Bradley (18.57), to the Scourge.
Mr. William Cable, master rigger at Devonport dock •
yard, has been appointed boatswain in Sneerness yard ;
and Mr. Richard Bulhuore, boatswain, is appointed
waster rigger at Devonport, vice Cable.
Mr. Moses• Underhill, sawyer, at Devonport dock-
yard, bas been Pu th era an uated on a pension of 201. per
aunum ; and Richard Hocken, a reduced bricklayer,
on a peubion of 151, per annum.

THE DISfOVERY OF GOLD IN VAN-
(OUVER's ISLAND.

SAN FRANCISCO, MAY 19.
Two vessels have arrived here from the British
possessions in the north-west since the despatch of
my last letter on the Bth inst. The last steamer
from Vancouver's Island arrived the day before
yesterday. The richness of the new gold mines is
fully confirmed. The accounts, both private and
public, are so voluminous that I can only venture
to give the salient points. First, I will quote a few
facts to show the produciveness of the mines. "A
returned miner," writes the special correspondent
of a San Francisca paper from Fert Langley, on
the Fraser Rivtr, whose mine is given, and who
was two months in the diggings,
" Earned from 15 do:a. to 20 dots. per day in his
`claim.' He brought down with him 2,500 doly. worth
of gold-3ust, which he sold at Fort lotngley. There are
cumbers of men here with gold. They all intend to
return to the mines with provisiong, which they came
down for,"

From Victoria, IT,inconver's Island, a gentleman
writes on did 9tli inst.:—

" Yeattrd.►y the Hudson's Bay Company's steam•
propeller Oster, arrived here from Fort Langley, one of
their trading posts on the Fraser River, and brought
gold dust worth 35,000 dols—judging from- the fact that
its weight was as much as one man'could conveniently
carry. Heavy gold is found 10 miles ;from the mouth
of Thompson River,ott a place called Necowman. The
heaviest nugget yet found was 8 dots. 25c. Bank and
river inking is going on between the forks and big falls
of Fraser River, into which Thompson River runs, or,
in other words, is a tributary to the former. The num-
ber of miners now working is estimated by one of their
number, from whom I received the above, at 1,000 men
—all of whom, he assured use, were doing well. To
quote his figures, they were making Iron► 10 dole. to 40
dole. per day,"
From other sources we learn that miners located
near the forks of Thompson River, abDut 200
miles distant from the mouth of the Fraser River,
are successfully at work. One man writes that he
is getting out 35 dols. a-day. The higher up the
richer the diggings, it would appear ; for at Fort
Yale, some 85 miles lower down, thu " yield " is
only froth 8 dots, to 16 dols. a-day to the men.
From the hat-named place we have the following
information :
"Some 50 or more are at work a few miles above
Fort Yale. Mr. M'Caw ascended the river some 20
miles above Fort Yale, and assures us that the diggings
are rich along the whole of that distance, the mines
yielding an average of not less than 12 dole. per day per
man. The gold is found on and within six inches of the
surface. Mr. M`Caw brings 50 ounces cf the gold with
him, the largest piLces of which are worth three or four
dollars. He received this in trade with the Indians."

From a new town just springing up, called
Whatcom, near Belliugtiam Bay, on the Gulf of
Gkorgia, a correspondent writ.s :
" From the mines the news is quite as favourable as
any heretofore received. Mr. Giddings estimates that
Aards of 20,000 dollars had been received at Whatcom
by merchants within the week preceding his departure,
in payment for goods. Miners were arriving and de-
parting every day, those arriving invariably making
their s:ay as short as possible. A par►y had returned
to Whatcom a few days previous to Mr. Giddings's de-
parture, who had proceeded as far as Fort Hope, where
they met a large company just from the mines, to whom
they disposed of provisions at about 400 per cent. above
wet. The miners instantly retraced their steps, while
the others returned to Whatcom. _ _

" We were shown by Mr. Giddings a specimen of the
gold brought from the mines. It is very fine, and of
the kind known as 'scale gold.' By those familiar with
it we are informed that it is very similar to the Omer
gold' of C4ll nAa, Anto,:ig the dust shown us, which
atnouuted to some 200 dollars, were several large lumps,
beautiful specimens, which wore probably worth from
2 dole. 500. to 5 dole. each. The gold is of a dark red
cokur."

On the last day of April, a miner, writing from
M'Caw's R Tide, beyond Fort Yale, on his way up

" We have prospected on several bars, and on one of
them we got from 6c. to 25c. to the pan, and took only
the top dirt. On another we got from sc. to 100. to the
pan. We could not atop at the former place, as the In-
dians would not allow ns, and we were not strong
enough for them.

" The Indiana were all at work themselves, and we
Ra-r t 7;0 or three pans with about 50c. in each. At the
latter place we cannot work to advantage without a
quicksilver machine. An old California miner says that
this place very closely resembles the north fork of the
American river in California, and that he believes ricber
mines will be discovered here than have ever been dis-
c vi-red in California.
" A few miles below this there is a party of wiltes,

who were to havea, sluice in operation -either t of
to morrow. An Indian hasju,t arrived in a canoe, ar,‘;
he tells me the sluice is in p,rat'un, and ant they ar
taking out 'hi yu (or plenty) gold.' Major Tidd and
Mr. Finnigan have both siaritd to see thee,."
There is no necessity to muliply instances of in-
dividual gain', " strikes," or "luck," to prove
that gold -exists in abundances - The area of the
auriferom country is as yet,urtknowu. It seems
to be, in fact, a continuation of,the great CALA--
intermediate American
tnrieaansigiroelsdfibealvde
frourn;iewsthionizEbiegon (where its
the extensive British possessions washed Ly the
waters of the Gulf -of Georgia and of-Puget Sound
ti!ra:ittl.4-eyellofclWilgauslPlinag,tnodntiltoe
on the west, and extending not thwardly and east-
wardly tolhe Rocky. Mountains.. • •
There are at present difficulties to be encountered
in getting to the mines, owing to the swollen state
of the Fraser River 'and to the country near
banks being inundated by the freshets which pre-
vail at this season from. the melting of the snows
of the Rocky Mountains, and in Consequence of the
" rapids," which necessitate long and wearisome
"portages." Several persons have been drowned
by the upsetting of canoes, which they were not
acquainted with the management of. Indians-are
to bi had in plenty It) perform this labour, how-
ever, and at moderate wage3—l. del. a-day and
meals. •

The following aragivan as the distances from
Victoria to the trading posts of the findsoa's B.ty
Company, en, rtinte to the goldfields—viz , from
Viet,r;a, Vaneotver's.lsland, to Fort Langley, 80
miles ; from the latter to Fort Hope 60 miles ;
,Fort Ho, e to Fort Yale, 15 mile; ; Fort Yale to
month Thompson River, 110 miles ; thence to Big
Falls ow the Profit% 75 miles ; total- '340 miles 'n
tLe diggings as=yft found tl, h ;lie r:chtst. The
rnolnl a- d of goo iug from the coast, to the
I ,b% ex and nearest mines fii.e thus described'hy a
perion at Port, Towns. ml

"The mines commenced about 15 miles above Fort
Hope. Fraser River can be navigated by sailing vessels
of considerable size as far as the mouth of -Harrison
River, or balf-way between Fort Langley and Fort
Elope. Vessels from Port Tow nseoil charge 10
r:bl.,. passage:to Fort ',mighty, and 15 dots. to Harrison
River, allowing e.ch pa,senger to take three months'
provisions without charge f..r freignt. At the mouth of
the Harrison Ror,r the rapids c imonence, but fcrm no
very serious obstrocti,n. Light F•teamers. can go up 0
the very gel.' mines, 15 miles above Fort Hope."
SAIIC rival routes to that of the ascent by the
Fraser River have been t:ied, but experience is
proving that this river affords the safest and easiest
route