1 MARCH 1856, Page 32

PRODUCT OF GOLD IN VICTORIA.

There are no means of arriving at an exact account of the amount of gold obtained by diggers : some is brought to the towns by private hands ,- some remains in the country ; formerly a portion left it privately-probably now there is smuggling; and gold is conveyed to neighbouring colonies. But an approximate comparison of the productiveness of different periods can be obtained by means of the shipments.

First-Nine Months

1853. 1854. 1855.

Shipments of Gold oz. 1,831,468 .... 1,653,999 .... 1,815,284 The shipments, which fell off in 1854, in the nine months of 1855 nearly equalled those of 1853. The last reports of the yield at the Diggings, and of the discovery of new Diggings, point to a larger produce of gold than ever. As far as can be ascertained, this was the production of gold in Victoria during three years : we add that of New South Wales.

Year. Victoria. New South Wales. Total.

1852 £14,153,888 £3,851,392 £18,005,080 1853 12,772,236 2,192,212 14,964,448 1854 12,154,661 1,068,384 13,223,045 39,080,585 7,111,988 46,192,573

The amounts in 1852 include the gold obtained for a few months in the preceding year, when the discovery was made in both colonies. The falling- off in New South Wales is remarkable.