The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-02-26
The American Miners and the
Mining Interest.
YBg yEmAND FOR AMERICAN BREADsTUFFS
THE PIRATE SHENANDOAH AT Melbourne
Efforts Of Loyal Americans to Cap
ture and Destroy the Vessel.
&c. kcs kes
Our Echuca correspondence.

Our Echuca Correspondence.
EcuUcA Australia, Nov. g. 1885.
yas Fteri,r Of Vtorta-Geelong-Tae Gold Fields Near
Decentralization Stages and Drivevs-Echuca-The
Hurray River-An English River Sedmsr-Wharves-
The Cotn,ry Arossnd Enthusiastically Of Wdter-
Drosgas-Prospccts of Large Demand for american
BreadstuGS dc
Bay before yesterday took the Melbourne and Bal
tsra for the latter place, with the design Of visiting
xe and forming idea Of the resources and
appearance the colony Victoria until lately known
Australia Felix Afor ride OF nearly two hours the train
reached Gcclong forty miles distant The road followed
tbc part the shore OF the bay The country In
Annd presented evidences Of volcanic formation, was
lcye but covered large fields with rocks lying the
surface in wild confusion. Cultivation, until nearing
ceeong, rather exception than the rule. the most
part Of the land being appropriated for the purpose Of
sheep runs Al Geeong, town Of twenty thousand in
habilants the train stopped fifteen minutes. Geelong
the rival city of Melbourne, is situated an
dentson Of the same bay and possesses fine harbor,
bat limited commerce, its chief source Of wealth now
being the nue agricultural country in the vicinity The
absorption OF business by its vastly superior neigh
Dor has bghted growth of the town. nsomuch that
10 already shows signs Of decay.
From Geeong to Buninyong the country rs alternately
lsvc and unduating, and little cultivated The villages
the way resemble the stations on our own Western
railroads At Bunnyong entered the aurilerous re-
ons the country growing uneven, but in no place
rising into the character OF mountain landscape.
At halfpast ten in the morning we reached Ballarat
ninety miles, and the terminus Of the railway. This
town has population of twenty-five thousand nhabi.
tants and is the second largest place in the colony OF
Victoria The town derived its existence entirely from
rch gold the vicinity. The houses
scattered, and yields to the hghn claims Of the
Yioh quartz beds upon which they are built.
After dinner, in company with Mr. Blanchard, United
States Consul at Melbourne, and who has made my jour
ney also his opportunity to visi, the interior we
vsitcd several OF the dggings, auval and deep sink
inss" Our first visit TO the basin Of the valley.
Here will in radius of half mile tho whole soil has
been turned and the surface presented the appearance Of
large number OF wells with the excavated oarth
moved This loose ground entirely abandoned with
the exception OF several parties Of Cinnamon who
busy washing dirt thrown by the nrs, dggers
Al place had conversation with six Chinamcn-l
should say attempted to hold conversation with
shem-but elected very little information, other thar
that the pace "would pay" Al another point further
ON European working alone. BY hin
we were informed that his 'chum was sick, and thai
NO was "ony washing little old dirt" As he seemed
% DO very little pressed for time requested him
initiate into the mysteries Of the washing" HI
diameter and six dccp) with dirt this he washed by
dipping the pan in water and shaking tho stones AM
n
were reduced in bulk To the line sand and gold at the
bottom This washed OF, until nothing re-
a pnhead THIS was the yield OF shovefuis
If dirt We told that this would pay well
every pan would produce much but this not bcing
che case infatuated declared there little
pro1ta fact requiring no arg ment FROM these shat
BLACK Hi These works are extensive, the Shaft Of
OF the companies located here being three hundred
s tr snS zee. co%ponv was mortns fcm the
summit OF the hill Another was established IN the bot
On the sides Of this excavation quartz reefs could be
traced direction imbcdded In very hne white
pipe clay The works had several tunnels running into
different parts of the HILL and on cutting through were
used carry away the barren dirt After visiting seye
raj Of these tunnels we walked 70 the crushing MIL,
where the quartz being crushed and the powder
blankets submerged In constant stream OF water
In these larger companies steam power ana great deal
of machinery used The gold found Is generally very
aDe, in flakes, the nuggets being almost exclusively
confined to region higher up, called Nuggetty valley
Although there considerable quantities OF gold
taken out, u does not on the average Poor mans
dgglngs," so common IN California, arc almost I'M
known here. Successful mining depends upon large In
vestments Of capital One Informed me that he had
Mp that time worked his claim for five years, and II
Just beginning TO yield a return found the larger
number Of working men realized from ten shings 1.-TWO
dollars and hal) 70 three pounds nfiecn dollars per
week. II Is only the lucky few who succeed tolcraby
we'll and an almost infinitely smaller number grow rich
wherever you nnd enterprise and adventure combined
The great event OF 1852 the year in ca the gold dis
ooveries in Victoria were published TO the world attract
ed the attention Of the veteran miners o. California
Australia In other respects a field barren and limited
for Yankee energy attracted thousands OF adventu
rers from our aurferous regions Tn men, Injured
the exposure and rough life Of the gold seeker formed
The advance guard and soon monopozed the richest reefs
90 the new land After the min r. nocked large mum
sers Of entcrprsng Americans In the other pur uits OF
life. American doctors OF medicine, law and divinity;
merchants loafcrs and sporting men, until Ballaai
ne adjoining regions were truly American Il not IN pop.
uatlon at least In influence Ths American element
nover lost it's Americansn IN so far as related 10 the
rights OF individuals a. opposed 10 oppressive govern
ont soon after the opening Of the gold fields both the
British homo and colonial governments Instituted bur
1eneOme OF licenses
never have felt much affection for taxation
wSsn S ssson no wa voice. without %a ,1s Is.ss
shadow Of justice. The Americans aud their allies
ana wors ,sev would no, snsn THIS sensnes ~ ,pe
government authority scon led 20 declaration Of
The part o, tho sovsrnmen5 ana troops were sent to The
however, undaGnted and thear example initiated
by Their foliowes, made an obstinate and success.
full struggle insomnch that the government obliged
10 withdraw from is original position and make
promise.
rudng the interests OF tho miners otherwise the gold
wealth Of Australia would long ago have been Empower
hed and dwaed by the sordd. grasping policy Of the
government The agricultural interest limited II is
70 many respects has never been properly developed
MI the result Of selfish legislation The mining interest
hS TIE Americans to thank for saving from the same
ruibOus consequences
Passing the ght at BalAra yesterday morning VIC took
che q aoh for payesford and Malmsbury The country
wasrolgh but mperecty settled and without built roads
The opening Of the country has been entirely owing TO
Amencan enterprise An English coach driver will
answer ~ well macadamzed road, but the American
drivers can surpass everything IN the bush Indeed
great IL the confidence of the people here in the skill
" the American In this line that they will
whole day rather than have English driver I
give voice also In appreciation Of the skill OF
american drivers. I have travelled over many rough
roads but nohsug N surpsss the bush roads Of Aus
traa and still W. moved along the Of six miles
hour with comparative comfort
thousand aud one incidents could he mentioned on
coach travel In AusraiS The people take grcat inter
Get In retailing them abou, for Their amusement The
story told Of the hrsi American " stage brween Mel
bourne and Basrst 10 good one Prior 10 the arrival
OF the celebrated Cobb Co " there line OF
English coaches which made uncertain and tedious trpe
90 The gold fields " Cobb Co" we're old Caifornans,
and Their chance In competing with the line then In
existence. number % American stages were i'm
ported and, after making all the arrangements, such AZ
establishing relays Of horses at proper intervals, a