The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-28
generally prevalent is that the Ophr country is one

large rich gold field.
At Adelaide a severe storm had visited the Mac.
clesfeld district doing great injury to the crops
Flour continued firm at f25 per ton at the port and
there was no change in imported produce and mer
chandise. But little wheat was changing hands,
New Zealand advices to January rs have also been
received. The Governor had recently paid visit Ia
Nelson which had added considerably to his popu
arity. The Nelson Examiner gives glowing &C
counts of the progress of the settlement, the ex
tension of commerce, the increased area Of cutiva
ton, and the improved appearance of the town.
Some very fine specimens OF copper ore had been
found in the Dun Mountain mine.
The third session Of the Provisional Council of
Wellington was opened on Thursday, December the
27th. The superintendent; in his opening address.
estimated tie revenue for the year 1856 az f3S 000
which includes balance in the treasury of f15,00O.
The cost of the several departments Of governments
he does lot think will exceed fA0 900; balance Of
12s ESQ will thus he available fo1 public works and
undertakings. The Provisional government is rep
resented being very popular at aAe present time
The Melbourne correspondent os the London
Nfscs, writing on Sue oath Of February says.-lThe
intelligence that England was likely to be enbroied
with the United Stafss, has caused great astonisl.
meat, but little perplsxity. We cannot. in short,
believe it, very good fec ling subsists bstween US
and che States, which shoud be sorry to zee dis
turbe5; but our sympatlEies. so far as / can Judge
sonnd, and cannot but thinks that Brother 10.
nathan has been over hasty this tims We shah as.
suredly yenan loyal.
Lola Msntez was playing at the Victoria Theatre,
Ballarat Diggings. An interesting tracas had taken
place between her and Mr.. II. Seekaap editor Of
he Balaras Tines II appears that writer in the
LinieS had made some remarks rejecting on the
character Of Lola as woman, ard not On actress,
ans few evenings afterwards the editor (Mr. See
karp) called ~ the United States Hotel, where she
was residing. Hearing he was below, she came
down stairs vita whip, and laid it on his back
with hearty good will. Mr.. Seehamp retaated
with riding whip, and ere long the combatants had
fhnr1 hvrf I'M Hnlr
intefposed and they separated, but not before
the preserves and revolvers were introduced
Al the theatre, next evening, Lola Montez was
enthusiastically received, and at the close of the
performance made the following very Characteristic
speech
thank yo7 mtst sir ely fer your friendship re-
Ret to Be OBJ ged to ieer again 10 M seekamp hut il il
net ny aut he again, in this lipss paper re-
pests hs attacks upon me, You hsvs heard Of
the scene wi ich took pace yss;elda, afternoon Mr.
Seeksmp threatens to continue his charged against my
character, AID offered, though Woman to meet him
With pstols, but the coward who coud Lot beat
msn ian from woman. He says he will drive ms or
be sgRirga but W Il chspge the tables, NAL See
fsmp eesamp (APpau'e) Ny coed friends, asao
the week endidg February 90, was ,l54 ounces,
and f32 $50 in coin.
LAND SALES AND GOLD STATISTICS.
lAeloourns correspondence OF London News.
Some curious facts are perceivabe in the latest
returns of land sales, contrasted with those Of
previous years; but before referring to them, it
may be as well to mention that Mr.. William Hewitt
was in error when he stated that the greater guam
hty OF the land broughs into the market had been
tou5ht up by the squatters under the pre-emptive
right Oh the contrary, the truth is, that vast
quantity has been purchased by the colonists at
large who have invested freely not only in the
neighSorhood Of townships, but also in eligible
spots throughout tue colony. From return, which
have before me, it appears that the quantity Of
land alienuted from the crown during the yers
1868 was 2sI, $50 l III for which Ell 5Ss c2l 6 10
1855. !" o.47s 'h sm .oaonins ,a-s sss "a
1855 " 4o7 4sa l 20 s esiysd To- 7as1o, - s
Thus showing that while greater quantity was
sold in 1855 than in the preceding year, the amount
realised was rather mora than half; while compar-
ing the years 1853 and 1855, the result is still more
striking. Nor must the fact be taken solely as an
indication OF greater poverty on the part Of the
buyers at large indeed, this deduction is probably
e to bs trusted, but rather as most satisfactory
proof that we are coming to senses and that we
look more TO the actual value of the land we'll as
to Me value OF money. Perhaps, also, another cause
of persons being less in a hurry to compete for land
under the present system, would be found to reside
in the confident hope shat that system is about to
expire and that the Ian d. of this noble colony are
tensive scale.
Again, the total quantity of land alierated from
the crown during the ass half of 1854 and the first
half of 1855 was nearly equal, viz, l91 POI acres
lassr; but the amount realized during these periods
was very different indeed, being not less than
f2o0 0o0.. or near so per cent, the respective
amounts A., being for 1854, f56soes and for 1855
gowa lands sold from soth June to slst Deoem-
her, 1854
A,es. Amount Realised. Arzae per Are.
4, 6 1884, Is g. 8 sos i. :
Town lands sold from LIST January to seth, June,
1866
4 10 E : & E as,sos !; Is ! !, !;
These figures show still more striking results-the
difference in the amount realized being about one
sixth, while the price per acre fell nearly in like
proportion. The results Of sales in what are called
fancy localities are not less surprising. In 1854,
the quantity OF land sold within the limits of Mel
bourne was 81 acres, aud the pr realized l972
at the rate OF Il $50 per During the first half
OF the year 1866 the area was insignificant in guam
tity, being only one rod 22 perches, and small in
amount realized, being not more than ESQ. But
instead OF the scarcity of the article leading to great
er competition and increased price, it was attended
with the very opposite result for the average price
per acre fell more than so per cent 40 exhibited.
The gold statistics for the year 1866 have been.
published, and sh0,c an increase Of 35 per cent on
the previous year. This must be, admitted, to be-
satisfactory, when it isremembered that the intro
duction OF machinery has not been altogether 80 sue
cessful as vas anticipated. Amalgamation is the
reward should be offered by council for the discovery
of an efc process; If this wero done there can
be little doubt that some of the great chemists Of
Europe would be induced to devote their skill to the
solution of the problem. The paper says" Not
outstanding the number of men OF Californian and
OF Continental experience, who processes q compe-
tent knowledge of the process there is still evident
wanted the chemical ability to successfully COM
bat with the foreign metals contained in the gold
bearing quartz" AS for the quartz itself itInay
be said in many localities, to be literally full Of
gold. have myself seen, only few days since,
specimens of coarse nuggety gold produced from
quartz roughly pounded on an anvil. An ounce and
half was knocked ont in forenoon by. the rudest
possible process, from half o bag Of disintegrated
quartz, and the quantity lost in minuta dust. was
perhaps a fourth Of the above quantity.
MAaKETs.
MELBOURNE, Feb @.-rhs tendency in the gold market
has been and the price OF gold has been fer tho
past two days f3 6s Cd. per The rise accord
ing to CaIs Gold Ltrcpar) has caused large guam ty
OF gold to be released from deposit in the camps ct tho
Aalda In aanfi