The Sun. — 1850-03-30 (London, England)

CALIFORNIA.  EXTRACT FROM A LETTER DATED JAN. 1, 1850. And now to the business part of my letter, which has been truly unfortunate. Immediately upon our arrival a custom-house officer was put on beard, who when he found that our vessel was an English ono, informed us that all spirits on board would be confiscated, and not even admitted by paying a duty of 100 par cent. This was a terrible blow to some cf us, myself amongst the test, as I had 1.500 bottles of spirits on board. In thst one item I estimate my loss at 1,400 dollars, that being the market price here. On 171. worth of blailets I have been obliged to pay, one way and another, 40 per cent,., which is a difficult thing to do without a farthing in ore's pocket. But I will tell you how I managed by and by. For my medicines I had to pay the same excessive duties. On every fire-arm or weapon of defence that a stranger takes in, he is obliged to submit to an extortion of five dollars, or about one guinea English. My cutlery also will never see San Francisco, besides it is quite a drug in the market. The speculation in watches also is about the worst that could have been male, at there are thousands of beautiful French gold watches selling here for leis than cost price; every lean you meet has several about him for sale. The only things that do pay an Englishman here are woollen slops, or warm clothing, and wine and spirits sent in quantities, packed according to the American law, and, above all, they must be carried in an American bottom. You will see by this, that our venture in merchandise has turned out a pre feet failure; it was a source of great pain and anxiety to us at first. but it cannot be helped. My misfortunes do not, however, terminate here, for our vessel does not intend returning to England, owing to the length of time we have been coming out; and, what is still worse, no English vessel is allowed to sail up the liver Eacramento—therefore the vessel, which was to have been our hone while at the mines, is useless. I will now give you seme idea of the town. It is situated in an elevated position, and where six months ago there were only a few huts, there are now some 5,000 fine wooden houses and as many tents; in fact there is an entire little town, composed of tents, and named " The Happy Valley." At present the rainy season bas commenced, , and will continue about four months, and the remainder of the year will be fine and unvisited by a single shower. The town at this season is a sea of mud, never leis-than knee deep, occasionally up to the neck. Folks walk about, with their trousers tucked up as high as possible. Merchants are glad to give 201. for a pair of fisherman's high boots. There is calculated to be about 100,000 people in California. in San Francisco, Bohemia, Montray, and Sacramento town, there are about 70,000. In San Francisco there are 35,000 men, and only 126 women! I have been here 14 days and not seen onel I will give you now some little idea of rents, &c. For a moderate sised house run up of wood the usual price is at the rate of 1,8001. per annum; for a small room, about 10 feet square, lam asked 501. per month unfurnished. Carpenters, or, in fact, all mechanics, are earning with ease 3/. 10s. a day. Doctors are as common as fleas, yet if they can only get a house and a patient they do well. Meat sells at 2s. per lb., bread Is. 6d. far a small loaf about enough for one meal, onions 6s. per lb., cabbages from 7s. to 12s. each, potatoes 3s. per lb., board sad lodging of the meanest description 6/. per week, and at any comfortable place double that some. Gambling is carried on to an extent hardly to be believed; every other house is a hell, and the sums of pure gold I have seen played for you would not credit me even if I told you—consequently murders and suicides are very common; the murders average seven or eight per week, and the suicides double that number.  Now that I have given you some few general remarks about the town, I will say a little concerning the mines, or diggings as they are called: they are situated from' 300 to 600 miles from this place, and it takes a fortune to get there. The charge is 81. to go up to the Sutter's Fort, which is only 100 miles up the country. The muleteers charge one dollar per lb. for luggage,lnd provisions are three times the price that they are here. Now I will tell you how some of us ere gaining sufficient money to pay our duties, ?cc.:--Captain --. a young Irishman, who was presented at Court just before he started, has been earning five or six dollars a day by retailing eggs at 30s a dozen; another has been going from door to door with ready-made clothing; he his made enough to pay his dillies. I have tried wood-zitting and shooting for a livelihood, both of which are very pretty amusements; but here, in rainy weather, it is very laborious.