The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-17 00:00:00

colonisation of both colonies. This is Irish reci-
procity with a vengeance. Not only are the bene-
fits all on one side, but the deserts are on the other
—a state of things which neither influence nor in-
trigue can long bolster up ; and the sooner the
power of proclaiming such arbitrary laws is abro-
gated the better. It will be a difficult thing to
reconcile the interests of three conflicting parties
—the Hudson's Bay Company, the citizens of Van-
couver's Island, and those of British Columbia.
JAN. 4.
Colonel Moody has notified his intention of pro-
ceeding on a preliminary visit to the seat of his
future labours to-morrow. He takes in his train
Chief Justice Begbie, whose only official act as yet,
within the broad limits of his jurisdiction, has been
the swearing in of Governor Douglas. But this has
not been the learned judge's fault, it is understood.
Eager and anxious to go into harness and lick the
chaos into some shape or other, in organising tri-
bunals, selecting subordinates, and rehearsing, as
it were, the programme of the future before another
avalanche of immigration should overtake the colony
in a still helpless state, he has been constrainedly
resting on his oars in the island capital since his ar-
rival. If I might venture a suggestion to meet one
branch of the service, it would be an advice to Col.
Moody to ask the home authorities for a large draft
from the Irish police force. I saw how admirably the
expedient answered in Victoria (Australia), and
from the increasing expectations that burst forth
every day with regard to the yield of gold from the
mines next season, I see no probability whatever
that, under existing circumstances, a sufficient num-
ber of respectable, properly qualified men could be
got together in time, and familiarised with duties
which are much more difficult of attainment than
those of a soldier of the line. It is proposed, I
understand, in part consideration of an export duty
of 2s. 6d, per oz. on gold, to carry it free, by armed
escort, to Langley, and thence by steamer to Victoria;
but as yet there is neither horse nor mule, bridle,
saddle, whip nor spur, bolster or pistol, man or ac-
coutrement, for the service, the necessities of which
will be upon us about six weeks hence. This is
another phase of the " masterly inactivity," but one
on which I am not inclined to lay much stress, for
miners, when they get the gold, will manage some
mode of getting it either to market or into safe keep-
ing. In fact, from the way in which this self-carrying
system works in California, it strikes me the estab-
lishment of an escort might with great prudence
and propriety be postponed for the present, or at
all events until other more pressing and indispens-
able arrangements are carried into effect. In
Victoria (Australia) the several banks have gold-
buying offices in the various diggings, where the
miner obtains an outside price for his dust, from the
keenness of the competition, and in the absence of
banks in those regions. I have no doubt but that
merchants, for the purpose of making their remit-
tances, will originate similar establishments. Buying
it at a reduced price, that will merely indemnify
them for the cost of carriage to the present capital,
and leaving this cost at 6d. per oz., there is no rea-
son why the other 2s. should not be exacted, until
the contemplated escort is fully equipped ; and
perhaps, after all, this mode of procedure might be
most beneficial to the revenue.

SAN. 8.
By advices received last evening from the Upper
Frazer the American amalgamation system of Go-
vernor Douglas is beginning to bear its legitimate
fruits, for British rule is being overborne by Lynch
law and vigilance committee tactics, under the pre-
sidency of a notorious escaped Californian gambler.
All this morning groups of citizens might be seen
in various quarters of the town inquiring if the
Governor " was yet awake ;" and a strong feeling
prevails in favour of getting up a popular muster
of volunteers to go up river, confiscate the claims of
the mid-day murderers, and drive them over the
border.

SAN. 9 (in haste).
The Beaver, from Frazer River last night, brings
down the intelligence that Colonel Moody went to
the Upper Frazer with all the Royal Engineers he
could muster (25), to disperse the American banditti.
The force is manifestly insufficient to deal with 300
armed and desperate men, and the citizens are in-
tensely disgusted that Governor Douglas has not
sent him a reinforcement of marines from the men-
of-war in Esquimault, or asked for a volunteer
force, which he could easily get. We all here
earnestly hope the attention of Parliament will be
called to the existing state of things early, so that
fresh instructions and police, or military succour
may be sent out to preserve the peace, else when
the digging crowd returns, in a few months, British
subjects will have to: confine themselves to the
island.