Etrauingo front ti t Thu Snub.
The subjects of these Papers may be classified thus-1. Geological and topographical information as to the gold formation ; 2. Regulations and licensing system ; 3. Gold and general statistics ; 4. Political incidents; 5. Monetary questions, coinage and mint. Our space will not allow ue more than a brief outline of the principal topics.
The opening paper is a report from Mr. Stutchbury, of New South Wales, containing a scientific account of the gold formation; and its re- sults are confirmed by observations in Victoria. The precious metal in its normal state lies embedded in veins of quartz, which at intervals have been thrust upwards by convulsions of nature through superindumbent strata, and present surfaces in mountain-ranges, at different levels, more or leas extensive, undergoing a continual process of disintegration hem na- tural causes. Alluvial flats and beds of mountain-streams are saturated with the precious washings ; the whole spreading for distances at present ascertained to be a hundred miles and upwards—in fact without practical limit.
The details of the licensing regulations are official and dry, but important. The whole series issued since the discovery, both in New South Wales and Victoria, are supplied ; enabling us to mark the changes made from time to time to meet new experiences. The report of a debate in the Sydney Legislature gives an insight into the " grievanees " of the sys- tem—the complaints of disappointed diggers of exorbitant dues--of being obliged to travel great distances to pay them—of armed police, and of smashing of cradles,—indications of a somewhat despotic state of law. Here and there are touches which show the actual life at the diggings, as graphically as the most studied description. The single diggers, each with his fifteen or twenty feet of frontage and no more, by the side of the mountain-stream, is a picture of the crowd of workers, and at the same time of the preciousness of the soil. We have a tableau vivant of Mr. Commissioner, sitting in his tent or temporary hut, with an armed policeman at the door, gathering his monthly dues—of Mr. Assistant- Commissioner with his iron safe and body guard of troopers— of diggers delivering their earnings to the Government escort, tied up in leather bags, properly weighed and labelled. The scene is in general orderly, for they are prospering, and therefore contented—they are amassing property, and therefore zealous aaserters of law : but it is mixed with darker features—gambling, drinking, obscene and profane language ; against which it is necessary, as the Blue Book shows, to make special enactments. A single clergyman of each denomination goes amongst them, preaching contempt of riches, and asserting the cause of God against Mammon—with what success ? The wonderful tricks of fortune—the sudden and surprising gains—are
accredited by official authority. Governor Latrobe testifies to a single working producing in one day ten pounds weight, worth upwards of 4001. Sir William Denison writes from Van Diemen's Land, of those who have come back from Mount Alexander, after an absence of not more than eight weeks, with gold worth from 1201. to 10001. But these tales are now matter of common gossip.
The social effect is what might be imagined. The towns of Melbourne and Geelong are emptied. Labourers, mechanics, tradesmen, clerks, offi- cials, are all off to the diggings—" their employers left in the lurch" —"their wives and families deserted"—" houses; to let "—" schools closed." "Women, for self-protection, forget neighbours jars and group together to keep house." Ships lie in the harbour without crews; masters and men have made common cause, and are off, "going shares."
Suddenly, the tide of population rolling towards the gold-field is di- verted into a new channel. News comes to the 6000 workers at Balla- rat of the richer discoveries at Mount Alexander. In a month, the 6000 are reduced to 1600, "steady workers." The new field receives a deluge of 12,000 and upwards in a single month. It is a purely nomadic state of life. Government is paralyzed. It has suddenly lost the command of its whole physique. Gaols are deserted by their turnkeys—the constabulary disappears—inhabitants of towns are compelled to turn night-patrols. Amongst the different governments affected in this strange way, that of New South Wales has the least appearance of embarrassment. This,
doubtless, is attributable to the more sparing quantity in which the tempt- ing bait is spread in that colony. The profits of gold-digging there do not seem to bear so excessive a disproportion to those of ordinary labour, taking into account the laboriousness and uncertainty. Victoria is the great scene of disorder. Governor Latrobe is at his wits-end—he is be- wildered, and no wonder : he writes entreatingly for military from home —for Pensioners from Van Diemen's Land, and is grateful to the dis- interestedness of New South Wales for sparing him thirty men. In the mean time he sits like a discovered miser amongst his money-bags, in a state of terror : he is afraid of buccaneers, and conjures up the image of Melbourne laid under contribution by pirates. Sir Henry Young in South Australia, and Sir William Denison in Van Diemen's Land, present pictures of distress of a different kind. The popu- lation of these colonies is flocking away, for there is no gold to tempt them to remain. To meet the crisis, Sir Henry Young strains his ener- gies to discover gold • he offers a reward of 10001. to the first finder of a field which shall yield 100001. in two months : might he not more wisely have doubled the reward to any one who should extinguish and utterly efface all chance of such a discovery,—as if the ratio of derangement to the labour-market from such a cause must not be in proportion to its prox- imity? Nevertheless, he thinks it good to keep his population within their own proper colonial limits, upon any terms. So he desires gold. Amongst his expedients for keeping his people, is a noticeable fact, offering an in- structive commentary on Lord Grey's pet principle of the auction system : Sir Henry Young has discovered that auction competition tends to deprive the discoverer of mineral wealth of his proper reward ; so he offers him a settled term at a fixed rent. A principle most true and right, though why limit it to mineral lands ?
Sir William Denison, in Van Diemen's Land, differs from his fellow Governor in his longings for a gold-field ; "Deus avertat !" lathe tendency of Sir William's mind—and rightly too : "Whatever the effect upon the merchants' profits, upon the agriculturist and sheepovrner it will be ruinous." He begs for more convict labour, and puts in his claim for the whole Parliamentary grant for Australian emigration. He is fearful of famine, and seeks to enlist sympathy by pointing to the neighbouring colonies of the Cape and the Mauritius as dependent on his own for sup- plies. How he will settle that convict question with his Legislative Coun- cil and Anti-Convict League, we leave to himself. But beneath these, which may be regarded as the superficialities of the case,. important though patent, lie other subjects of deepest interest, and
requiring gravest thought. Here are the conflicting interests of these different colonies, all suffering alike though in different ways : South Australia and Van Diemen's Land complaining of exhaustion—of with- drawal of labour and capital—of improvements checked—of a future sud- denly clouded over; whilst Victoria groans under excess of wealth, and seems almost dying of surfeit and congestion. There seems an equity in the case of the unauriferous colonies against their seemingly fortunate rival. She is draining away their life-blood ; they are supplying her with labourers to dig the gold wherewith she is accumulating revenue, which is again to be turned to fresh account in emigration for her benefit ! May -there not be some claim to redress here ? and may it not be that blunders have been committed for which the Imperial Government must be responsible? First, the omission of power in the late Constitution Act to enable these separate governments, bound together by certain ties of common interest, to confederate for the adjustment of such questions; and secondly, the hasty concession of the gold-revenue to each colony for itself, instead of placing it under their joint control.
Again, here is the immigration return for Port Phillip. Between the let of July and the 31st of December 1851, there immigrated 10,900 persons ; of whom 1177 were children, 1878 adult females, 7845 adult males (for the most part, doubtless, young, strong, working men) ; and so the proportions continue. Listen to what the Emigration Commissioners say—" We conceive it to be almost impracticable to set on foot any large purely female emigration from England which shall be of a wholly satis- factory character." Are we to continue feeding the gold-producing colo- nies with the sexes in these proportions ; and what will be the end thereof?
A word upon the question of money or coin. Sir John Herschel com- putes the possible supply of gold from Australia as equal to that of Cali- fornia; the latter being at the rate of ten millions per annum—five times as much, he says, as the average gold produce of the whole world before the late discoveries. In the book before us, we have distinctly presented the question of Colonial Mint and Coinage, and Sir John Herschel gives an estimate of the cost of an establishment capable of coining ten millions of pieces per annum. Think of that, Lombard Street ! imagine an inex- haustible Bank of England at the Antipodes, and make your calculations accordingly. For in truth that question is actually upon us; and it is one which we shall not be able to decide for ourselves—the colonists will settle it as they think fit. Such small reasons as Lord Grey suggests about the greater expense of Colonial coinage—the higher rate of wages of skilled labour there, and the non-demand of sovereigns for the Asiatic trade—will not avail much in the settlement of this question. It would be well to turn public attention to what may be an impending revolution of our monetary system. Shall we endeavour to compel the Colonies to send us home their raw uncoined 'gold in return for our sovereigns and merchandise? shall we allow them to take (as they will do if they find it convenient) liberty to assay, stamp, and formally accredit a gold issue, (which is coining,) and so send it into circulation without check ? or are there any intermediate devices which may better both our ends—as, for instance, a coinage of ingots of large value, say 501.? • We do not pretend to solve these questions ; they suggest to a new Parliament an abundant supply of problems of policy and finance.
Previous page
