The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-03-03

Latss, Accounts Eraggsration of the Land Spec.
ELators, DC.

Latest Accounts Iaggeration of ths Land Spec
ELators, DC.
The National Intelligencer, publishes the fol.
lowing account from California, by Lieut.. Joseph
Lanmsn, of the United States Navy, who arrived
in Washington on Tuesday evening, as bearer o;
dispatches from the Pacific squadron:
He confirms the reports in regard TO the extent
| and productiyeness of the gold mines, but says
that many of the letter writers in that region who
are holders of lands have colored their facts, 10
some extent, with view OF promoting their indi-
vidual interests. Only about an hour before he
left, he saw man on board the fla. ship, Just arr
we'd from the mines, who confined the reports in
regard TO the discoveries on the river Staneslow,
where he had seen a single lump of gold weighing
nine pounds, and heard Of one that weighed twen-
iy pounds.
The gold excitement in Monterey had entirely
abatei, the immense mineral wealth OF the coun-
try being looked upon as an established faeL-
There was no disposition lsxeepting among the
| landholders) to exaggerate, and this was mention
ed to Lieut. Lanman by Gov. r. b. Mason, as SIN
gular circumstance.
For a year past, Lieut.. Lanman has been per-
forming the duties of collector at the port Of Mon
terey; and having seen every man who had return
ed from visit 10 the mines, his opportunities for
obtaining authentic information were better than
il he had visited the mines in person. lie informs
US that no large amounts Of gold dust or ore were
selling at sacrifice; he does not believe that one
hundred ounces of the gold dust could have been
purchased at the reported rate Of eight dollars the
ordinary prices ranging from ten TO twelve dollars
per ounce The weekly receipts OF the gold al
San Francisco were estimated al from thnty 10 nj
ty thousand dollars, and Lieut. Lanman knew OF
one individual who had In possession hlrty lhou-
sand dollars worth of pure ore and dust
The current value of gold in trade was sixteen
dollars per ounce. There was scarcity OF coin
throughout the country; but when Lieut.: l. ar
rived at Panama he was informed that SbUO,UUO
had just been shipped for California by certain
Mexican gentlemen, and that the American consul
at Paita (M. Ruden) had in charge coin TO the
value Of silS, 900, which he intended to exchange
for ore and dust
Peru and Chill are not behind the United States
in regard TO the gold excitement, nc less than
twenty vessels have sailed nom these two eoun-
tries, within short time, bound 10 San Francisco
They were all well laden with provisions and other
necessanes OF life, and their arrival would Prooa-
bly, reduce the prices, which have heretofore been
so eIAorbitsnt-
As stated in an extract from the Washington
Union, Lieut. Lanmsn arrived at Panama on the
18th of January, in the steamship California,
which. with two sailing vessels there, would take
to San Francisco the 500 in waiting. Of his route
across the Isthmus, The Intelligencer says:
"Lieut. Lanama left Panama on the 18th Of
January, with two mules, for which the consul
had TO pay ga, three times the usual price. The
distance thus travelled was twenty-one miles, and
was performed in 10 houIs. Over three miles Of
this road the mules could trot-two miles Of the
road were Indifferent, fourteen very bad, and tive
almost impossible. II is not billy, but some of
the passes are narrow, that the ladies' who trav-
sl across are compelled to dispense with their side
saddles. The remaining portion Of the route
across the Isthmus is performed IN canoes, the
distance from the place where the mules are left
10 Chagres being forty-nIne miles. Lieut.. Ian
man sailed in the steamer Isthmus ION the 23d
Ian for Havana, thence to Kingston, and arrived
IN Washington as before stated"