The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-28 00:00:00

there can be no doubt that the country is auri-

fermis.
The one universal conclusion that every one
arrives at—those who, like myself, have been in the
mines, and those who derive reliable information
from miners and travellers—is that there is plenty
of gold in British Columbia, and that • population
alone is wanting to get it out.
Several miners have lately left the country for
California. The croakers are disheartened at this
circumstance, and prognosticate dire effect's from.
it—stagnation of business, and the stoppage of
immigration. For my own part, the fact gives me
no uneasiness. The departures have not been
much in excess of the arrivals for the last three
months. Some go away for the best of all reasons,
that they.have made their " piles," and that they
prefer enjoying the fruits of their toil in their own
country in a more agreeable calling than mining.
Some go to return ; and others go whose absence
is preferable to their company ; in short, the ac-
count is nearly. balanced. Miners, like all men
who lead a life of excitement, are very easily dis-
satisfied with their lot. lam quite certain that if
the first years of California mining-life the miners
in that country had had a place of refuge so near
to them as San Francisco is to Victoria, with the
same facilities of conveyance, thousands of " dis-
gusted" miners would have.left California.
The gold shipped in April from Victoria to San
Francisco by two express companies amounted to
108,236 dollars. How much was sent by mer-
chants and others in business, and how much taken
by private hands, I have no means of ascertaining.
125,000 dollars have been, shipped this month in
the last two steamers ; and the Northerner, hourly
expected, will take about 100,000 dollars.
To show the " chances" of mining, I may mention
that two miners from Fraser river brought down
with them to Victoria a few days ago 5,000 dollars,
the result of 13 days' sluice-washing of dirt which
they had been throwing up for 40 days previous at
Hill's Bar, already so frequently alluded to—nearly
£l9 a-day. Such results, extravagant as they
seem, agree with what I saw at Hill's Bar in Sep-
tember. The statement is corroborated by the
deposit of the 5,000 dollars above-mentioned in a
house of business here. Another miner came down
some short time ago with £4,000, the fruits of his
labour in the Canoe Country.
There are instances of " lucky hits," but where
all can make a minimum of £1 a-day, all should be
satisfied.
All kinds of labour has risen in Victoria in con-
sequence of the success of the miners, the miners'
average earnings being the standard of value of all
other labour. For instance, an Essex labour whom
I employ refused 16s. a rod for trenching my gar-
den the other day ; £1 a rod was the lowest rate
he would accept, which, for working 162 feet
square of land, ought to make him a purse"
quickly.
Mechanics and labourers are in great demand, as
considerable improvements are in progress in Vic-
toria.
A good deal of excitement exists respecting
Queen Charlotte's Island, where I lately mentioned
gold had been. discovered. Parties are preparing to
go to " prospect," that is, to explore the island in
quest of "diggings."
Her Majesty's ship Tribune, Captain Hornby,
and her Majesty's ship Satellite, Captain Prevost,
are in Esquinlault Harbour. The Satellite has just
returned from a reconnaissance of Bunard's Inlet,
on the coast of British Columbia, and has brought
back Colonel Hawkins, the Land Boundary Com-
missioner, from Semiamhool Bay, where he accom-
panied Captain Prevost, the Ocean Boundary Com-
missioner, to meet Mr. Campbell, the United States
Commissioner.
The Plumper is surveying in Fraser river. The
Pylades, Captain De Courcy, went to sea under
sealed orders last week, and has not yet returned.
There was a sale by auction of some land belong-
ing to Government in Victoria last Tuesday, which
brought such high prices as would evince a strong
confidence in the future growth of the town.
A sale by auction of town lots in Queenborough,
the new capital of British Columbia, takes place in
Victoria on the Ist of June.-
For the number of our population, the trade of
the colony has been very fair of late. The imports
for the first quarter of this year amounted to
503,933 dols. 25c., showing an excess over the
previous quarter of 109,264 dols. 92c.
Batches of Chinamen are beginning so find their
way to Victoria, bound for the mines. I trust the
prejudices against their countrymen both in.
Australia and in:California will not spring up in
this country. It is a great mistake to think that
these persons do no good to the country. They
are, in fact, considerable consumers, and they prac-
tise a " good faith" in keeping their engagements
that many Christians might imitate with advan-
tage to their own morality, and to their creditors'
profit and loss account.
It is to be hoped the Imperial Government will
do something to assist labourers to emigrate from
England, Ireland and Scotland to this country
where they are so much wanted, where such high
rates of wages prevail, and where the scarcity of
labour sadly impedes the progress of the colony.
I believe the usual course is for a colony to remit
funds to defray the expense of immigrants ; but at
first this is out of the question in the cases of Van-
couver's Island and of British Columbia, for neither
colony has any money: All the funds of the former
have been applied rigidly to internal improve-
ments, and the latter has not had time to collect
any revenue ; nor, indeed, is it possible to extract
much from so small a population. I am quite
sure, however, that both colonies would willingly
agree to tax themselves to defray gradually
any debt which would be contracted to the
home Government in sending out emigrants of a
suitable class. Both the colonies are at present
sadly in want of more people to develope their
very abundant resources, and profitable employ-
ment awaits all who come to settle in a country
abounding in a rich soil, and blessed with a healthy
and agreeable climate.
I can say that, after some considerable wander-
ing in some of the finest climates in the world, I
know no more agreeable place to settle in than
Vancouver's Island.

LORD PAL3IE.RSTON AND THE WAR

IN ITALY.

The following memorial of ninety-five ministers
—composing the Conference of the Annual As-
sembly of the Independents for the counties of
Cardigan, Pembroke, and Carmarthen, held at
Llanelly, June 7, 1859—has been presented to Lord
Palmerston :

" Respectfully sheweth,
" That your memorialists regard with deep con-
cern the war that has recently broken out in Europe,
which has already deluged its soil with human
blood, and has greatly obstructed the commercial
and friendly intercourse of different nations, and
which will inevitably increase the burdens of the
people, and fill myriads of human hearts and happy
homes with misery and desolation.
" That whilst your memorialists greatly rejoice
in the fact that England has hitherto stood aloof
from this sanguinary strife of other nations, they
would most respectfully urge upon her Majesty's
Ministers seduously to abstain, not only from im-
mediate and overt acts of hostility as regards either
of the belligerent parties, but also from all such
entangling engagements and irritating diplomacy,
or menacing demonstrations of force, as may tend
gradually to implicate the country in the incal-
culable crimes of war.
" Your memorialists, individually, and as the re-
presentatives of the thousands over whom they pre-
side, would strenuously encourage her Majesty's
Ministers to maintain intact the policy of non-in-
tervention.
si sig"nDedANonabLehDaAlfvoiEfst,licearCoanitrfaern ence,Chairman,"
(The Reply.)b
" Sir, —I am desired to acknowledge the receipt
of the memorial from the annual assembly of the
Independents for the counties of Cardigan, Pem-
broke, and Carmarthen, urging the necessity of
non-intervention on the part of this country, in the
war between France, Sardinia, and Austria, and to
inform you that her Majesty's Government have no
intention of advising her Majesty to take part in
the present war, and that they do not foresee the
probability of any events that would lead th
depart from the policy of neutrality.— I remainem to
, sir,
your obedient servant,

" G. G. BARRINGTox.

" The Rev. David Rees."

A FATAL EXCURSION.—A shocking occurrence
took place, on Saturday last, in the vicinity of Rye-house,
near Broxbourne, by which two young females lost their
lives by drowning, and four other persons very nearly met
with a similar fate. It appears that early on Saturday
morning an excursion party of between 80 and 100 work-
people, employed at Messrs. Abbott's brewery, at Bow,
arrived at Rye-house in numerous vans, accompanied by a
band of music. It was the annual feast given by the firm,
and the men were accompanied by their wives and families.
On their arrival they dispersed in different directions,
amusing themselves at cricketing and other games, while a
party of six got into a light boat for a row down the river.
They had proceeded about half a mile when the boat cap-
sized, and immersed the whole of the party into deep water.
Every possible means were taken to rescue those who were
clinghtg to the bottom of the boat, and were screaming for
help. With difficulty four of the party were brought to the
banks of the river; one or two were insensible, and it was
a considerable time before they were restored. The re-
maining two of the party, two females, named Sarah Maria
Hall, aged 17,, and Lizzie Ferguson, aged 14, unhappily
sunk before assistance arrived, and were both drowned.
Their bodies were sgbsequently recovered, but not until
some time had elapsed. It is said that the boat was of too
frail a character to carry so many persons, and that it cap-
sized while one of the party was in the act of stepping from
the fore to the after part to steer. Both the deceased
females resided at Bow.