The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-28
INTERESTING FROM AUSTRALIA.
The Weld Of Gold and the Re-
sources OF the Territory,
&c. &c, &c.
xrrom the Melbourne Argus, Sept u

xFrom the Melbourne Argus Sept IL
We are anxious to throw together q few such items
- ntelligence with respect to this colony, as Pre-
Me 70 prove Of especial interest to more distant read
ers, those Of Great Britain in PARTICULAR and we.
therefore, this morning devote the prncip al portoy
Of oar available space to that purpose,
THE GOLD.
n would be to show very little acquaintance with
Me nature of our coantrymen at home, not to be
aware that as in their estimation of individuals, the
question usually is. not what the man is, but what
Is he got? how much is he 'vorthis he rich? So in
dealing with their colonies. they viii be likely to tell
- NOT to bother them WITH our wants and grievarr
ses, but to let them know distinctly how much gold
We are able to send to them.
We proceed then to furnish such particulars as
We have succeeded in getting together. And as the
British press has before done us the honor of very
extensively quoting our statements and calculations
and are quite sufficiently aware OF the respon-
abilities attached to reports likely to influence ma
teray the fate Of tens of thousands OF our fellow
creatures, we beg all who read these lines to draw
the very wide distinction which ourselves draw,
between such portions of the following reports
Of q perfectly authenticated character and OF the
correctness Of which there can be no possible ques-
ton, and such portions as are avowedly formed upon
better basis than that of conjecture; conjecture
indeed arrived at with some caution, and formed
with the most entire absence Of any interested
motive.
With this proviso, to which we beg TIE most
marked attention, we proceed, first, to give tabu
lar return OF the amount of gold received weekly
by the armed escorts by which the great bulk of the
precious metal Is now conveyed to the two principal
markets of the colony for its disposal We give this
in the form annexed, by way OF enabling distant
readers to Judge for themselves to the regular
and continuous progress of this astonishing yield.
In the beginning OF the month of October, 1851,
Ne government escort was first established, leaving
the diggings, and arriving in town usually once
week, and the quantities which it has since brought
down are as follows
From Oct. L. 1851, to Aug. 26, 1852. $685. $40 o.
About the month of June, various causes of dssa-
6sfacton existing in the management OF the govern
NeEt escort, few gentlemen united to establish a
private escort; conveying the gold at lower charge
than the government and managing the details Of
their business with more energy and intelligence.
The quantities conveyed by them in each week. since
their establishment, are as follows:-
PRIVATE ESCORT.
From June 81 to August q, 1852 .207,5SS OF.
But in addition to these very large quantities. great
weights OF gold have been and still are, conveyed to
the towns by private hand; the charge of one per
cent by government and sixpence per ounce by the
private escort being considered very high for the
conveyance of gold seventy eighty miles, and ne
Their government private company absolutely
guaranteeing its safety.
In estimating the amounts conveyed by private
hand we have no data to go upon; but check
ing impressions by references to those in the
position to be best informed, we should state the
probable proportion as follows From the estab-
hHhment of the government escort to that of the
company, think that at least equal quantity Of
gold came down by private hand the government
escort was unpopular and the charge was considered
excessive. Since the commencement of the proceed
ngs of the private escort the quantity conveyed by
the owners themselves probably declined for the
hrst month from an equal amount to that conveyed
by escort, to about onehaf that quantity. For the
last two months the roads have become so broken up,
and robberies so frequent that comparatively few
diggers venture to bring down their own gold; and
the proportion between the two modes Of conveyance
Is probably as about one to four.
By way of testing the continuity of yield of the
two great gold fields of the colony Mount Alexander
and Ballarat, let take monthly average, adding
the amount probably conveyed privately to those dis
escorts