The southern press., 1851-12-16
BALTIMORE, Dec. IA.
From New south wales.

The BATHURST DIGGIaGs-OEE HUNDRED
WEIGHT OF GOLD IN ONE LUMP.-By an arrival
at San Francisco, advices to the I'd August have
been received from Hobart Town, N. 8. W.
We copy the interesting resume of the news
from the Alta California
The gold discoveries at Bathurst are still
creating great sensation in that quarter of the
globe. The Hobart Town press speaks en-
couragingly OF general prospects in the Dig
gings. The market reports represent a scarcity
of breads'uffs, but Eotice fair supply of veget-
ables. The Hobart Town Cour err, July 80, has
the following;
BREAD.-The price of -four having lately ad-
vanced to E25 per ton, few of the bakers yes
terday raised the price of the four-lb. loaf to
shilling-but generally no advance in the price
has been made, most of the bakers being deter
mined to sell at the former rate Qld) until
their present stock of flour has been worked up,
when, should -four maintain its present rate, it
will be- deemed necessary to advance the four
Id. loaf to the uniform price of one shilling. 1t
is somewhat strange that while flour commands
such high rate, the price of potatoes should
still be from GA to f6 per ton. This is, in
deed, a fortunate circumstance for the humber
classes Of the community, among whom the con-
sumption OF potatoes is very considerable; per-
haps, in proportion with the increased popula-
ton, thirty per cent. greater than it was this
time last year.
A great discovery of gold is related as having
been made near Bathurst, in the placer of that
d trict. Considerable excitement was created
as the Bathurst Free Press informs us, by the
arrival in that place, during the month of July,
Of an one hundred weight lump of nearly pure
gold. Sydney was made noisy with the excite
ment. The news is told in the following ex-
tract from the ,dney Morning Herald, July l8:
+" The report that reached town on Tuesday,
that one hundred and six pound weight Of gold
had been picked up in one place, came from so
many parties, that we had little doubt of its
truth, and yeti was 40 astounding that we could
scarcely creditit Yesterday, however, brought
confirmation of the report There il no longer
any doubt about il. On Monday, the gold was
deposited in the Union bank at Bathurst, by Dr.
Kerr, the fortunate owner. The particulars Of
this most marvellous event will be found in
another column. We believe this to be an un.
paraleed case. In California, we believe TWEEN
ty-eight pounds Of gold was the largest quantity
ever found in one place. In the museum at ST.
Petersburg, there is piece of gold weighing
seventy pounds; but one hundred pounds was
never found before. It is much to be regretted
that, in the excitement natural upon such an
occasion, DR.. Kerr broke up the quartz in which
the gold was EMBEDDED. A block Of quartz
weighing but seventy five pounds, and contain
ing sixty pounds of pure gold, would have been
priced far beyond its intrinsic value 1t is useless,
however, to regret what is past, nor should we
scan too narrowly the acts of one who suddenly
and Unexpectedly finds himself in possession of
fortune.
There can be no doubt that when this unpre-
cedented fact becomes known in England, it
will eau e he most intense excitement.
The news from the Turon is most encourag-
ing. The quicksilver machine is found to an
swer beyond expectation. person who has
one writes to friend in Sydney, that in future
he shall not have to write OF the number Of
ounces, bat Of pounds Of gold that he obtains.
By the old slovenly method OF washing with the
pan and cradle, many persons were still procuring
upward Of IL day elch, and there were but few
who did not make ten shlings. Many persons
arrived in Bathurst on Monday, bringing large
quantities of gold; one party of six had made
Goo in ten days; and a similar party had made
f500 in fourteen days; and Mr.. Hobblewhite
received letter yesterday stating that party
of three, who were unsuccessful for seven days,
in five days more obtained two hundred ounces
This shows the value of perseverance. Mr..
Suffers party had accumulated upward Of sixty
pounds Of gold.
On the whole, the news Of yeste fdayNis the
most satisfactory and the most convincing as TO
the extent and richness OF the gold field that
b. yet reached Sydney
We believe that there are at the present time
more than one party making preparation for
gold digging on scientific principles, and on an
extensive scale.
Ia the Pyrenees range Of mou ntains, in Vic
toria, the search for gold has been quite success
FIJI. They are working the mines with quick
silver machines: also the pick and cradle have
been introduced