The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-03
BALTIMORE.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8. 1855.

The new Colony of British Columbia is ''pro-
,,rassiur'' backwards. The Fraser river fever has
died out. OF the thirty thousand miners who
,o,etrated that wild region, breasted the swollen
torrents. worked their way slowly and painfully
o.ros, fine rugged hills, and staked off their claims
rnon the banks of turbulent streams, not more
tLan five thousand now remain. They started on
tbcir Journey from California, or Oregon, or
Washington, flushed with high hopes, and buoyed
nm bv sanguinc tcmperaments; they have retraced
their steps homewards poorer than when they
started. and certainly wiser and more thoughtful, if
they have needed the teachings of experience. The
whole of this brief episode in the history of adven
t,re carries with it q sautary moral lesson
There is no longer any more Of that bitterness, and
If those heart burnings, in which certain portions
of our population INDUCED when rumor first pro-
claimed the existence of rich gold fields in the ter
ri,ory once claimed by President Polk as be-
longing rightfuy to the UNITED STATES,
and in behalf of which, the nation was in
yobcd to fight The desire for acquiring it has
been qucnched. The land of promise has proved to
be a land of disappointment. There is gold to be
found but in quantities too minute to pay for the
bare expense Of collecting it. The total amount
of cold that has been gathered in the Frazer river
region, during the past year, is said to have
scarcely exceeded in value half million of dol
lars, which, if distributed equally among the emil
grants, would make the share of each man rather
less than seventeen dollars. This magnificent sum
is, moreover, tie gross result of unusual labors,
after many months Of patient waiting. Is 1t any
marvel that so many of the miners have re-
turned to their old haunts, or that those who yet
remain are anxious to follow their companions, so
soon as they can obtain sufficient means to cover
their travelling expenses? But the disappointment
is not wholly confined to the miners. Her Majes-
tvs Government must witness, with regret,
this sudden check which has been given to the
new colony of British Columbia. 1t was not
long since that we had occasion to refer to
the eloquent speech of Sir EDWARD BULwER LYT-
TON, in which he dwelt upon the extraordinary
richness Of the gold placers of the Frazer river re-
gion--the fertility of the solthe saubrity of the
climate and sketched Ont his plan for the erection
Of Gordon of provinces, which, by connecting
Canada with the Pacific would act as barrier
against the enCroachments of the nomadic popala-
ton of the UNITED STATES. The members Of the
Royal Geographical Society also made learned dis
courses upon the same subject. The commercial
advantages possessed by British Columbia, with
reference to the trade with China and Japan, and
with the Islands in the Indian seas, were earnestly
discussed and elucidaed and the practlcability of
constructing railway across the continent, from
Lake Superior to Pugets Sound, was not only
satisfactorily demonstrated, but its commencement
at an early day was warmly urged. All these
projects and anticipations were based mainly upon
the belief that the whole region of the Northwest,
from Frazer river to Fort Colville was rich in
gold, and that the little town of Victoria
would speedily become, from the influx Of
adventures in quest of the precious metal popu-
lous as San Francisco or Melbourne. Even Gov
ernor DOUGLAS himself appears to have labored
under a similar delusion, and so large were the
expectations of the gold product, and so strong
appeared the necessity for providing for the secure
keeping of the extraordinary amount of metal it
was supposed would be sent down the river to
Victoria, either for sale, or deposit, that an i'm
mense iron safe of the dimensions of a small
chamber, was ordered to be constructed in London
and shipped to Victoria for this particular purpose
Other contingencies were also foreseen and provided
for. vessel Of war was directed to cruise off the
coast. special officer was despatched from Lon
don 10 organize an efficient police force for the
preservation of peace and good order among the
miners; the most liberal concessions were made TO
merchants trading with the Colony, and instruc-
tons were sent to the Governor to impose re-
stricons that might have the least tendency what
ever to embarraSs emigration. Nothing that could
promote the ends that the British government had
in view was left undone; yet after all this pains
taking and after all these precautionary measures,
the Colony from which so much was expected does
not now appear to be destined to increase rapidly,
either in population or in commercial Importance.
lis mineral resources have been most egregiouSly
over-rated. It's agricultural value is comparative
ly small; whilst its climate, though Il remarkably
healthy one, is by no means so attractive as to in
rite to permanent settlement California no longer
breads rival in British Columbia, for the actual
resident population of Victoria has dwindled down
to some five thousand inhabitants, and although
her merchants and spectators still endeavor to de-
lude themselves and Others with the belief that the
present collapse in the fortunes of the Colony is
temporary, and that healthy reaction will set in
during the coming season, it is scarcely to be ex-
nected that q similar deception can be successfully
pEacuSed a second time upon men who have already
suffered SO severely for their credulity.