The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-05-01
Interesting Letter from Australia

The following letter is from composor from this
city, who left last for the golden land OF Aus.
tralla Its statements may be OF service to ihose-and
particularly prnters-who contemplate a journey to that
far-ot land with the idea OF lettering their conditions:
MELBOURNE, November Is, 1852
You arc aware that we sailed from New
York the 30 OF July. We arrived here on the 18th
October all in good health, only having had death
on the voyage Six enlgrant ships came up by the
tide, having altogether about 1900 passengers.
Immediately upon landing | locked out for boarding
house but met with no success, every place
full ii could be- and thousands OF people were living
IN tents in and about the city. However, wandered a
mile or two out OF town, and conved to get into shed
at the moderate req, OF e. Is. per week.
There are but TWO newspapers IN the place. and two job
bing Offices. The writer was lucky enough TO get a
situation daily paper shortly after arriving. and
slders II piece OF good fortune most 'unaccounabe u
Our paper pays 2s I'd per 1000 ems and % sd per hour
or 20 per week, $500 can earn many pounds here
as could dollars in New York. There is not another
paper however that pays so high price, and we have
10 labor under many disadvantages We have no water
and DO gas There are quite as many composors walk
ing about toe streets idle there employed. Thou
sands OF poor creatures land in this city with scarcely
five dollars TO bless themselves and BY the time they
have had few meals they without farthng
Nearly all my iellow-passengers went the diggngs
and several have returned quite discouraged. They FAY
those who are there are barely making their expenses,
and that two things are ndispensably necessarycapal
and proper knowledge OF mining. have received let
ters IRON several parties at The mines they all tell the
same tale, and all anxious leave the diuginqs and
follow other pursuits There are, 90 doubt many oppor.
tunues IN THIS city at present for a oil capital and
enterprise bat one without either had better remain nj
home. Wages have been very good, bu, are now de.
cfeasing accosnt OF the vast influx of people, and
are expecting every day 10 hear of wages being low
cred On The other hand. provisions the same price
now they were a month since. Bread is g. Cd per
4pound loai -four Gi7 per potatoes, Ell per ton
eggs. I'D. and cd apiece; apples, Is cd per pound
have tasted nothing in the shape of vegetables except
potatoes, since arrived in The colony heard that Sc
was asked for a cabbage Ale and porter are rs per
quart; beei and mutton Is per pound. Furniture is
amazingly dear. The house now live in ia sma one
OF two rooms on the ground hoor something similar TO
one OF nose ish shantes IN the suburbs of New York
Tor which my landlord pays 81 100 per week There
whole place Building Ios sell al the rate of GIG per
foot IN some paris of Melbourne There seems 10 be
very little doing IN this city, though there is plenty OF
capital and plenty oil labor the arkel There are nc
public works IN operation; no railroads. canals, nc
ielegraphs, to be foand anywhere Everybody says
things cannot last long in this waythey come 10
crisis Things in The state al Sydney, Adelaide
and Hobart Town The climate is not good b,
any means; the changes OF temperature are much more
sudden, and more ex,feme than those OF New York
Meleourne rs about IN size OF Newark, and the drtes
place ever set foot in. would advise every one who
nss an idea OF coming 10 this place to stay at home
he'e are zen chances TO that he will better in
ame1ea man mere There thousands of people ia
county VINO are cursng the day they ever decided
10 come 70 australia. There are now about 100 oOf
people az he MINES and the escorts during the as tou
weeks nave not brought down anything near ooot
ounces per week on an average.