The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-12-09

NJ .tlIrn
@!n D, '" nrecions metals, and TO be capable OF
Of W. 'a;dTino large population. From its po-
su s on' !, IA the Intermediate and connecting
SUI, ,r, between our settlements and our
TENSIONS in Texas and those on the Pncli-
possessions III
4 ic coast ..,,,;,,, nj rho vnsi
olTnJ yenlth recently developed there;
t', ,I' ", Ills day, in point of value and I'M
Dol, .ancs n the rest Of the Union, the same
py I,,;o, that Louisiana did, when That hne
m'' .,orv was acquired from France forty hVe
,,oars oCo. Extending nealry ten degrees OF
io,i,ude aIong the Pacific, and embracing me
"mIv snGs and commodious hnrbors OH lhht
Coost for many hundred miles, wltha TEN.
norote climate and mn extensive interior OF
5,rrile landsit is scarcely possible 10 estimate
he wealth until i shall he brought under the
Covernment of our lnws, aud itS resources
GlIy developed From It's poslllon' u mns'
command the rich commerce ofChinn, OF A
si, If the islands of the Pacific, Of Western
Wrviro. of Centrnl America, the South Amer
;con Suites, and of the Russian possessions
Wandering on TINT ocenn.
A great emporium will doubtless speedily
mise on the Californian const, which may be
destined TO rival in importance New Orleans
lseIc The depot of the vast commerce
which must exist on the Pacific will probab-
" beat some point on the bay ofSan Fran
cisco and will occupy the same relation 10
The whole western coast of that ocean, as n.
Orleans does to the valley Of the Mississippi
aud the Gulf of Mexico. TO this depot our
numerous whale ships will resort with their
cargoes TO trade, refit, and obtain supplies.
This of itself will largely contribute TO build
( I'M city, which would soon hecomethe CEN
ter of a grent and rapidly increasing COM
cs;tuntaI on a On e, hurbOr- sufficient
" capacious for all the navies as well as the
marine of the world, and convenient TO eN-
ceIent timber for ship building, owned by
the United States, il must become our great
western naval depot
II was known that mines of The precious
metals existed to considerable extent in
California at the time Of its acquisition. Re-
cent discoveries render it probable that these
mines are more extensive and valuable than
was anticipated. The accounts of the alum
dance of gold in That territory are of such an
extraordinary character as would scarcely
command belief were they not corrohorated
n M,hc authentic reports ofolficers in the pub
Ia lie service who hive visited the mineral dis
4 tricl, and derived the facts which they detail
~ from personal observation. Reluctant 10 cred
n little reports in general circulation ms to the
Y quantity of gold, the officer commanding Our
forces in California visited the mineral dis
;Hct in July last, for the purpose orUbtninine
B accurate Information on the subject. His re-
port 10 theWarDepartmeut of the result of his
examination, and the fats Obtained on the
spot, is herewith laid before Congress. Whcr
he visited The country, there were about fo,i
thousand persons engaged in collecting gold
There is every reason TO believe that tho
number of persons so employed has since
been augmented The explorations already
made warrant the belief that the supply is
very Iarge, aud that gold is found nj various
4 WAGES in an extensive district ofnur country
Information received from officers of the
n navy and other sources, though not so full
n and minute, coufrm the accounts of the com
mlder of our rmilitary force in California
happrarS. also, from these reports, that mines
Of Qulcksilver ure found in tie vicinity Of the
4 gold region One of them is now being
a worked, aud is believed to he among the
Il most productive in the world.
The effects produced by the discovery of
\ these rich mineral deposits, aud the success
4 which has attended the labors Of those who
have resorled to them, have produced n sur
A psng change in the state ofaffairs IN Cali
iornla. Labor commands most eXorhitant
n price, aud all other pursuits but that of
searching for the precious metals are nban-
doned. Nearly the whole of the male popu-
hiion of the country have gone 10 the gold
district. Ships arriving on the coast are deser
TED by their crews, aud their voyages suspen-
died. Tor want of sailors. Our commanding
officer there eniertains apprehensions thu,
soldiers cannot be Kept in the public service
without large increase of pay. Desertions
m his command have become frequent, and
he recommends that those who shall with
s'audthe strong temptation, and remain faith
iul should be rewarded. % &c.
This abundance ofgold, and the ull en-
grosslngpursui of it, have already caused in
california IN unprecedented rise in the price
Of the necessnries of life.
ti'at we may The more speedily and fully
avail ourselves ofthe undeveloped wealth Of
nose MINES. II is of vast importance that n
branch of The mint of the United States be
authorized to he established, at your present
session il California, among other signal nd
@niages which would result from such au
establishment would be lllnt of raising the
gold 10 its par value in that Territory. A
branch mint ofthe United States nj the great
commercial depot OH the west coast. would
convert into our own coin not only the gold
nerped from our own rich mines, but also the
nui''on ana specie which our commerce may
"'i,ig from the ~wh5le west coast of Central
ahd South America. 'Fhe west coast of A.
merica and the adjacent interior embrace the
richest anu best mines Of Mexico, New Cren-
ada, Central America, China and Peru The
bullion and specie drawn from these eoun.
%es, and especially FROM these of Western
Mexico and Peru. TO an amount in value of
many millions of dollars, are now annual,
diverted and carried by the ships of Grcn,
britain to her own ports, to he recoined OIL
used to sustain her National Bank, and thu.
contribute to increase her ability to commanc
Somuch ofthe commerce of the world. If
branch mint be established at the grea
commercial point upon the coast, vast
mount ofbullion and specie would flow thitl
G 10 be recoined, and pass thence to New.
Orleans, New York and other Atlantic Giles