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

CALIFORNIA. EXTRACT TRW! 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 board, who when he found that our vessel was an English one, informed us that all spirits on board would be confiscated, and not  even adm.itted by paying a duty of 100 per cent. This was a terrible blow to some of us, myself amongst the rest, as I had 1,500 bottles of spirits on board. In that one item I estimate my loss at 1,400 dollars, that being the market price here. On 171. worth of blankets I  have been obliged to pay, ors way and another, 40 per cent., which is a difficult thing to do without a farthing in one's pocket. But I will tell you how I managed by and by. For my medicines I bad to pay the same txcessive 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 Hem made, as there are thousands of besuttful French gold watches selling here for less than cost price; every nen 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 perfect 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 River Sacramento—therefore the vessel, which was to have been our home while at the mines, is useless. I will now give you same 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 has commenced, and will continue about four months, and the remainder of the year will be fine and unvisited by a single shower. Tke town at this season is a sea of mud, never less 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. Montrav, and Sacramento town, there are about 70,000. In Sin Francisco there are 35,000 men, and only 126 women! I have been here 14 days and not seen one! I will give you now some little idea of rents, &e. For a moderate sized house run up of wood the usual price is at the rate ef 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 31. 108. 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 ls. 6d. fir a small loaf about enough for one meel, onions 6e. per lb., cabbages from 7s. to 12s. each, potatoes 3s. per lb., board and lodging of the meanest descriPtiors.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 Ltold 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 aro called: they.are situated from 300 to 600 miles from this place, and it takes a fortune to get there. The charge is 8/. 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, and provisions are three times the price that they are here. Now I will tell you how some of us are gaining suf• ficient money to pay our duties, Sc.:—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 has made enough to pay his duties. I have tried wood-cutting and shooting for a livelihood, both of which are very pretty amusements; but here, in rainy weather, it is very laborious.