The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-04-25 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

By the screw-steamer Hydaspes, arrived at Plymouth,
we have intelligence from the Cape to the 25th of Feb.
The election of representatives in the upper house of
Parliament at the Cape was nearly complete. Almost
every seat had been contested.
The abandonment of the Orange River Sovereignty,
where it is alleged that gold has been discovered, gives
great dissatisfaction to the colonists.

The subject of the discovery of gold is attracting great
attention at the Cape. Some samples came home by the
Hydaspes for the government.

The Port ElizitLeth Mercury of the ISth of February
says :—" Information was received from the neighbourhood
of Burghersdorp, by several persons in the town, that
gold had been discovered in the neighbourhood of Smith-
field, and that several grains of gold had been obtained,
varying in size from small particles up to nuggets of 20,
23, and 54 grains a-piece. A gentleman who arrived yes-
terday from Burghersdorp, and on whose judgment re-
liance can be placed, states that he has seen, handled, and
tested in every possible way, several specimens of the ore,
and that there is not the slightest doubt left on his mind
that it is veritable gold, and that it can be obtained from
theneighbourhoodof Smithfield in considerable quantities."
The following is a list of the troops at the Cape of Good
Hope :—The 2nd (Queen's), numbering about 500 ; the
12th Foot, 400; the 45th, 600; the 60th Rifles, 600; the
73rd, 500 ; the 91st 400 ; and the Cape Corps, 1,000.
The 12th and 91st received orders in January to prepare
for returning home. They were to be relieved by the 21st
and 63rd, since ordered to the East.

The Meander, 44, Commander Talbot, was at Simon's
Bay, and the Dee, Commander Smith, was at Struys Bay.
The Hydra and the Dart were expected at the Mo-
zambique.

The'Penguin had sailed for Algoa. Bay, and was expected
at the Cape in the beginning of March en route to England.
The squadron was all well.

AMERICA.

By the steam-ship Franklin, arrived off Cowes, on
Thursday, on her way to Havre, we have intelligence
from New York to the Bth inst. In lat. 43 to 44, and
long. 48 to 44, the Franklin pasSed a large number of
icebergs. This steamer brings no news of the arrival at
Philadelphia of the steamers City of Glasgow and City of
Manchester. The former vessel was in her 40th day from
Liverpool, and it was thought she was beset by ice in
the Atlantic.

The' NeW York Chamber of Commerce held its regular
monthly meeting on the 6th inst., during which, after
the transaction of preliminary business, Mr. Walter R.
Jones introduced an important series of resolutions,
having reference to the system of carrying on maritime
warfare by means of privateers, condemning it in strong
language; and sustaining the principle that free ships
shall make free goods, and the neutral flag shall give
neutrality to the cargo. Recent proceedings relative to
the same subject in the British parliament were referred
to with approbation.
A telegraphic despatch from New Orleans announces
the arrival there on the sth inst. of the steamer El Dorado,
with dates from San Francisco to the 16th of March, a
fortnight later than previous advices. The steamer
George Law was to sail from Aspinwall for New York on
the 31st of March, with 500 passengers and $1,000,000 in
gold dust. The El Dorado reported the gratifying fact
that Lieutenant Strain and his party of explorers were
safe; and had arrived on the Pacific coast. The steamers
leaving San Francisco on the 16th of March had over
$2,000,000 in treasure. The mining accounts were still
exceedingly favourably. The country was healthy, but
the rainy season had been unusually severe. The San
Francisco markets were quite stagnant. Six failures, in-
cluding two commission merchants, had occurred. Money
was stringent, and real estate had largely declined in
value. Colonel Fremont had been overtaken in the
mountains, going the central route to San Francisco.
Several of his party had died of cold and hunger. The
trial of Colonel Watkins, of the Walker Expedition had
commenced. The accounts from Walker's Expedition
represented that it was quartered at St. Vincent's, and
was daily dwindling away.