Washington sentinel., 1854-01-13
masbingtan Sentinel,
Correspondence with Australia.

Correspondence with Australia.
A friend has shown us a letter recently re-
ceiyed from Sydney, dated August l6, 1853,
written by gentleman of much sense and OBJ
servation, from which we are permitted to make
q few extracts.
The picture presented Of the new Queen of
the Southern Ocean is anything but fatter-
ing one, and the comments on the manners
and customs and appearances of the people are
no less original and graphic, than entertaining
to the Yankee reader.
The writer, after detailing the history of a
tedious voyage of liz days, in company with
1926 of the most degraded devils on earth"
proceeds thus: 81 will not venture to give an
opinion respecting the richness of the Aus
tralian mines. have conversed with several
persons who have been in the mines, some OF
them men whom knew in California, and all
give very Aattering accounts. From the infor-
nation have received, am fully persuaded
that the mines here are much richer than in Cal
ifornia, though would not advise any one to
come until have examined for myself.
"The manners and customs of the people
here are SO different from our Yankee ways,
that it is impossible to entertain good opinion
Of the country ITSELF / have endeavored in
forming my opinion of them, to divest myself
of everything like national prejudices, but de-
spite my wish to think well of them, | must
say they are the most stupid, dull, and unciyil
people / ever was among. Business, politics,
and pleasure are all measured out as scith a
yard stick; and so thoroughly is every one
drilled to his own particular calling, that were
YOU to offer an article for onefourth it's value
to person not directly in that line Of business,
he would not purchase. How different from
the Yankee, who is always open for spec, in
everything from watch to a steamboat They
are inferior to the Yankee in everything. Their
dress is stiff, and entirely out of date. have
seen several Of the upper ten in full cos
tune, attended by their servants in livery. They
wear pants just large enough to admit their
legs, straight buttoned vests, great, clumsy,
square-toed shoes or boots, hats which might
have been fashionable once, but certainly not
in this century, and claw-hammered coats, with
broad square tails, and heavy brass buttons
placed bet,oees the shoulders; just such as you
may remember to have seen some old-fashioned
hombge wear, when you were boy Really,
there is not decent carriage in Sydney. Their
buggies are perfect bread-carts, and inferior to
many one l have seen in some of the cities
at home. / expected to have seen some fine
horses here, too, but San Francisco is far ahead
III CHlS reSpect aSO IHcy w NV nHo" nv"
to keep q horse the dray horses are never
cleaned, and the carriage horses like old plough
horses.
The only things Of which Sydney can boast,
are, the finest harbor in the world and the best
material for building.
The houses are most of them magnificent,
but the interior is spoiled by being cut up into
small square rooms. San Francisco would
have been the finest city in the world, had she
possessed the material for building that this
place possesses. It is beautiful freestone,
susceptible Of fine polish, and very durable.
The hotels are aptiH. There is not one in the
city capable Of accommodating fifty persons.
The meanest clearinghouse in San Francisco
spreads better table than any hotel in sgd
ney. You can form no idea of the ways of
living here. Progress is word neverheard. The
governors house is beautiful building, and
the garden adjoining very handsome, and kept
in good order.
HMan is singular animal, and never saw
a more apt illustration of his blindness and
assurance, than the contrast between the peo-
Pile and their rulers here. The useless expen-
diture of money on the g0geror general, and his
house and grounds, would clothe every beggar
in the colony in broad cloth, (and they are
.many.) observe old, decripid men cropping
ABOUT Jne StreetS, leu ny UoyS. Will uCuius
hanging upon their bosoms, indicating their
infrmities, begging their daily bread, whilst
his excellency must have thousands expended
in the cultivation of flowers, to scent the air he
breathes.
But there is O cloud visible on the horizon,
which will overspread this country, and that
before long. It needs no prophetic vision to
enable the close observer to see, that Australia
is soon to he second to none but our own Co
lumbia. There is restlessness among the
masses, that foretells but too plainly the fall OF
aristocratic power. The emigration from Cali
fornia is having powerful effect, too; but as
] intend to give more labored essay on the
signs of the times, anon, dry up atpresent."
When the essay arrives, we trust our friend
will give us the privilege of laying it before our
readers, for we think we can venture to promise
on their behalf a careful and delighted perusal,
Of whatever may proceed from the pen of one
who shows himself such an adept in close OBJ
seryation and pertinent remarks.
San Francisco Ne,cs.