Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-02-19
Australia.


pamphlet has just been published in New
York containing, in brief form, a variety of in
formation respecting this new gold region. The
Courier furnishes the following editorial notes o.
its contents: 1854
There are four distinct settlements in Australia
or New Holland, each claiming more or less atten.
ntrom the Americans and English, Will. New
South Wales on the eastern side ESQ called from
slight resemblance to South Wales in Great Bri
taln.) This colony was founded in 1887, as pc.
nal settlement. ii. Western Australia, or Swan
River, founded in the years 1886. Ill. South
Australia, or Port Adelaide, founded in 1885,
" Port Philp, or Victoria, lying to the Southeas
tern point of the island, founded IN 1888.
The gold regions lie III the first and fourth SET
Elements above named, vlz:-New South Wales
and Port Philip. These are adjoining each other
and are in the Southeast portions of the island
between the latitude 80 deg. and SO deg. As min
South, and the meridian 112 deg. 20 min. and 15s
deg East of Greenwich. The area of the whole
island is estimated at 2,690,s10 square miles, and
the coast line at nearly 5000 nautical miles
equivalent to more than fourths the extent OF
Europe.
The climate of the whole territory is remarkably
salubrioas, as is shown by the general health OF
the many Europeans employed with the exploring
expeditions within the tropics, who exposed t.
the Scorchng sun, and provided with scanty shell
ter at night, and miserable food. Numerous facts
indicates the excessive dryness of the central por
tons of the island, where the fleece of the sheep
taken by the explorers ceased 10 grow.
In New South Wales, January is the middle of
summer, and July is in the midst of winter. The
summer extends from December till March, when
the thermometer ranges from 6S to IS deg. The
average temperature of spring is 65 deg, summer
~ deg, autumn &c deg, winter So deg; The win
Ter IS OF bracing GOODNESS with occasional fross
ut Sydney and snow i'll the interior. AS instances
of the remarkable healthnesS of that region, it is
stated that not more than five or six sick persons
will be generally found in community of twelve
hun
have elapsed without the loss of man.
Rain at times falls in heavy and continuous
torrents. At one period oil twenty four hours in
Port Jackson, the fall was twenty-five inches;
and ten fifteen feet above the ordinary level of
river is not an unusual height during the rainy
season.
InNew South Wales, the whole line of coast
presents in general an aspect of bold perpen-
dicular cliffs of sandstone, lying in horizontal
strata. In addition to the vast treasures of gold
existing in both settlements oil New South Wales
and Port Philip, copper and iron have been found
with extensive mines of coal. The seams of CO |
are distinctly visible in the abrupt face of the cliffs
near the harbor OF Newcastle, and can be distinct
ly traced for distance of nine miles. According
to Mr.. Pattison, who has published some notices
OF the country, mine has been opened where steel
sis dug from the earth with little boring and of
endless extent"
The first discovery of gold in the new regions of
Australia has been attributed to a shepherd boy,
who after selling his gold at the city, returned 10
seek for more; but followed by others, and is
supposed to have been murdered. DR.. Clutter
buck early as 1S49, native gold in the work
shop OF a watch maker at Melborne. Sir Roder-
lex J. Murchison had given his opinion that gold
existed extensively in Australia; but it was not
fully developed made known until February
1851, when 1t was fourl in abundance in Brls-
bane county, lying about 100 miles North West of
Sydney, the chief town of New South Wales. At
this period, three blocks ofquartz were discover
nd, weighing about 224 lbs, the product of which
in MIR GOLD he anil eolJ d.
urst, for "a 240 sterling. In September following
gold was extensively found also in the colony Of
Victoria Port Philip. In this district was found
the largest lump yet discovered, and called 'the
King ofthe Nuggets from Forest Creek, Mount
Alexander, and weg hed 81 lbs. 6 OF. Is dwts-
This was massive lump of pure gold of a fine COL
or, and measured eleven inches in length, and five
in breadth.