, 1878-06-21
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
OUR PAUL PRY LETTER.
VICTORIA, V. l., June II, 1878

| city Is looking QulI-tlle miners nave all
left, either tor Cariboo or Cassar-nO
theatre, no amusements, but little gossip,
and that cOntined'to harl times, the mines,
Chinese, Russians. and the tortitiCationS
being erected ut different points around
the city
The most important event occurring
during my absence has been the election,
and in which the government party were
badly beaten. 1t was quite unexpected
as the party for months had been prcpar-
ing tor it, protusely bestowing place and
tavors on the rank and file, and threaten
ing and denouncing a.! who refused to
pull and work in the traces. II is n good
thing they have a register law here and
vote by ballot, else the leeches hanging on
to the Treasury would never be loosened
of their hold. But aside from this. as the
one party is as greedy as the other. the
result is demonstrative OF the determna-
tion OF the people to stand no more shut
fling or hlmbugging in relation to the
fuItil!mcnt of the terms of confederation.
The new House, by Proclamation Of the
Lieut.. Governor, is to assemble on the
10Th Of July next, and it is presumed the
,eader of the opposition, G.. A. Walkem.
Esq, will be called upon to form new
Ministry. The opposition will have five
or seven majority. The people are deeply
interested and impatient to see if they will
take the initiative in demanding the carry
| ing out of the terms of union. and in case
of inability or refusal OH the part of the
Dominion, to ask for separation.
! The Senators and Representatives in
the Dominion Parliament returned here
some ten days since. The Senators are
life officers. A new election toriSiX Rep
resentatives. to Which the ColoIy is en-
titled, is soon to be held. All the old ones
and two or three times their numbers. are
aspiring for this honor, and the COM
petition promises to be exciting and in
tercsting. Hon. A. G. Elliott, the de-
feated Premier, has announced himself as
u candidate. This election comes under
the order of the Governor-General OF the
Dominion. and the Proclamation is eX-
pected every mail.
In mining there is nothing particularly
exciting, Stocks in Cariboo quartz are
ruling low. Assessments are being levied
and AS the day OF payment advances. hold
ers are trembling, and some are trying to
make sales at any price. On the l4th
inst, 60 cents was bid for B. c. NJ. & NJ.
stock-hone sold. Six weeks ago it went
up to 81 and $5. The Stock Boards are
doing nothing but meeting, and the men'-
bers staring each other in the face and
groaning. Reports from the dIgglngs on
the Island arc coming in every week. On
San Juan river several companies are AT
work making, 1t is said, fair wages by
washing. The Cinnamon are holding onl
on Albcrni river. apparently satisfied
with the yesults OF their labor-anOther
squad of the race are preparing to join
them, as they can get no imployment III
the city. There are several prospecting
parties ont OIL the Island. One near Cow
ichan, sent In a few days since fine speci-
mems of quartz, bearing gold. silver and
galena, which made a little stir, but we
hear of no one biting at the bait.
| Your readers may believe it or not. but
they are actually preparing for war here
| by throwing up breastwOrks, mounting
guns and drilling volunteers. Two GA
Founders are being mounted at Finlay-
sons Point; three inch guns ut Macau-
ley's Point. and heavy battery at the
entrance OF Esquimalt harbOr. lD adj
dition the frigates Shah and Opal. are ex-
pected to arrive momentarily. The peO-
ing to their usual avocatons; and. as an
official was heard 10 say, have no fears OF
the Russians or the Yankees combined
These Preparations and movements will
doubtless settle the Eastern question aud
spare the world from witnessing genera
European war.
The American Bark Mignon, Captain
Soule, is down from Moody q Co.'S Mill,
with 100000 feet of lumber, bound to
Shanghai, aud sails tomorrow. The
American Bark Quickstep, of New York,
Capt. w. A. Burnaby, arrived from
Hong Kong few days since. with $50
Cinnamon, twenty thousand dollars worth
Of opium, and general cargo of Chinese
merchandise. Within the month past
over $S0,00 worth of opium has arrived
in this port from China. 1t pays only
Tx per cent. ad-valorem, and OF course,
after paying this duty, will seek market
In the States under the head OF free.
goods"
Quite number of VictOrians are talk
ing about going to Olympia, on the COM
ing Fourth of July. 1t is certain, I'M
derstand, that the "Amity Base Ball
Club, :" and +" City Rifle Team" will ac-
cept the challenges sent them. The
Caledonians celebrate the same day here
or rather give a Grand Pic-Nic-and
catch good many American quarters,
which they revere probably more than tile
Fourth of July. e.
The railroad iron which has been lying
at Esquimalt and Nanaimo for more than
two and half years Is shortly to be
moved to the Fraser river. 1t was
brought here to build the Island railroad
between these two points, in fnlfllment
of the terms Of union. This announce
ment is causing some excitement, and
there is talk that the people OF the Island
will not allow Its removal they will
hold on to it as the only show of getting a
penny from the Dominion tor breaking
iaith and solemn pledges. PAUL PRr.