SYDNEY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 54, 17 January 1852, Page 3

SYDNEY.

Gor,D CiitcuLAn.—(From the Sydney Morning Herald, Dec. 13.) By the " Vimiera," we hear that intelligence of our Gold discovery Lad reached England on the 28th of August by the overland mail via Southampton. Captain Bloomfield, of the "Mazeppa," which left Sydney on the 30th of May, and reached Madras on the 15th of July, had addressed Messrs Dunbar and Sons from that port, stating that gold had been found in the district of Bathurst—that hundreds were off to the diggings, and that goods were rising in consequence. Two other parties were in possession of the news, in all probability from the same source ; and one of them proposed to sell it to the Times for 200£. It does not appear that any parties were in receipt of letters from their correspondents in Sydney, and from enquiries made of the owners of the "Mazeppa," we are informed that she only took one letter for London, which letter had not reached its destination when the " Vimiera" sailed. It is not likely that this intelligence will be confirmed in London until the arrival, about the 16th September, of the overland mail via Marseilles, which will convey letters from several parties in this city announcing the fact, and advising the first shipment of Australian gold per " Thomas Arbuthnot;" the same mail will also convey the 14 oz. nugget, which left this per "Fanny Fisher;" and it is more than probable that we shall be advised of its confirmation before the end of next week, by the Australian Steam Navigation Company's new steamer, which was to leave London on the Ist of October, and would be supplied with coals from the Admiralty depots. What the effect will be in England it is impossible to conceive; but that it will create a sensation greater than any intelligence ever did before, few can doubt.

Since our last, " the great Australian Nugget" has been brought to public competition at the rooms of Mr. J. G. Cohen. It is not surprising that a specimen of such value should have drawn together an immense concourse of persons, so much so that the room was crowded to suffocation, and hundreds went away disappointed at not being able to obtain admittance. The Chief Justice, the Colonial Secretary, several members of the Legislative Council, and a number of our leading merchants were present. After a short but spirited competition it was knocked down to Mr. George A.Lloyd and Thomas Holt, jun., Esq., for 1155 Llt was reported to weigh 336 ounces, but the actual weight is 341 ounces, 5 dwts.; it was obtained by Mr. Brenan's party on the Louisa Creek. They were just about to knock off work to get their dinner, when one of them struck his pick on a hard substance. " I have got something here," said he. "It is only a boulder," replied his brother; but upon prizing it up from the clayey soil by which it was surrounded, their enraptured eyes fell upon this magnificent specimen of Australia's golden treasure, which may be truly termed "one of the wonders of the world." Our intelligence from Victoria is really astounding. The escorts from Mount Alexander and Ballarat, according to the Melbourne Morning Herald, hud-brought in the enormous quantity of 16,333 ounces, and would have obtained much more if the conveyance could have carried it. New diggings have been discovered at Mount Blackwood, about halfway between Melbourne and Mount Alexander. The miners in this locality were doing wonders. It was gratifying to record the success of each in ounces, but it has now come to pounds, and there is yet a prospect of its being hundred weights: «k has had a considerable effect on the employed. Clerks are leaving their offices, labouring men their occupations; and it is expected that goods will soon remain on the wharves for want of hands to house them. Although behind Victoria, we cannot complain of the success of our own mines. Gold is coming into town, not only by every escort, but in very large quantities by private hands. From Braidwood alone we know of two parties who brought upwards of 2,000 ounces, and numerous parcels are coming in coastwise from Moruya and other harbours. New diggings have been opened on a small ilat, between" Mr. Bad«>ery's station and the Water Fall. At Ophir, Messrs. Samuels were arranging to drain their waterhole, and had engaged the services of Mr. Benjamin White. It is anticipated these reservoirs

will prove pockets of enormous value. Many parties were leaving the Turon to spend Christmas in town, and others were posting off to Braidwood. Business was dull on the mines, and was not expected to revive before the turn of the year. We have received this week, by escort, from the Turon, 3,649 ounces; Ophir, 269 ounces: Bathurst, 543 ounces. By post, from Bathurst, 950 ounces; Turon, 1,090 ounces; Braidwood, 354 ounces; Goulburn, 566 ounces ; Queanbeyan, 39 ounces. And by private hands we know of 2,500 ounces: making in all this week 9,960 ounces—worth about 32, 370/. The price has ranged through the week at 645. 3d. to 655.; but as three or four of the principal buyers are not anxious to purchase in consequence of the very large yield at Victoria, it is probable to be down considerably. Total gold shipped to this date, 329,797/. 16s. 3d. The Gold Fields.— Sofala, Dec. 10.—There are a number of idle vagabonds here, who are lurking about committing all sorts of minor depredations, and occasionally committing a robbery of some magnitude. Several of those have taken place but lately. On Monday night Mr. Greer was robbed of dust worth 50/. Yesterday afternoon four young men who were starting for Sydney with their earnings, some 40/. each, were stopped about a mile from the township by four men, who took their horses and money, and then rode off. In this case it is pretty clear that the robbers knew of these young men being about to leave, and were lying in wait for them. The population has rather decreased here during the last fortnight. Many persons have left to attend to harvest, some to enjoy themselves at Christmas-time with their earnings, some attracted by the reports of the prolific nature of the Araluen diggings, some Port Phillip men going back to their own district to try the Ballarat and Buninyong «old fields; but the greater number going 'away"to.wait for the fall of the river, which will enable them to work their bed claims. There has never been such a season as this. We have had rain every week for months past; and the Turon, which is generally an insignificant creek, is now a respectable sized river with a rapid stream. On Saturday the'river rose 3 feet. It is impossible to keep the holes on the bank free from water. You may dam the water out of the holes at the top, but there are no means of preventing the percolation through the soil from the river. There are still, however, a great number of persons doing well. I saw at the Golden Point last

night a person wash out more than two ounces, the produce of his labour on Monday and Tuesday. On Saturday a person obtained 37 ounces frem his hole at Golden Point, and, I hear, got 6 ounces on Monday. At dry digging- men are making- about 15s. a-day. There are a great many buildings going on here, and tradesmen are earning from 10s. to 12s. a-day. Provisions are plentiful and good. Mutton^by the side, is -2d. perlb.; by the joint, 3#d. Beef, by the quarter, from 1 Id. to 2d.; and by the joint 2)^ d. Bread is 4j^d. per lb. All sorts of shop goods are to be obtained at prices varying from 25 to 50 per cent, on Sydney prices ; and from the great competition, and the immense quantities of goods on the road, are likely to diminish rather than increase. Sydney Markets, Dec. 12.—Messrs. Barker and Co.: The price of flour has advanced 1/. per ton, present quotations being for fine 13/., and for seconds 111. per ton of 2000 lbs. Bran Is. to Is. 2d. per bushel. Mr. Breillat: An extensive sale of Van Diemen's Land wheat has been made during the week at ss. per bushel. Very little new wheat has yet arrived to market, but the crop is spoken of as unusually abundant. A slight reaction has taken place in the flour trade, the late reduced prices having created a large demand. An advance of 21. per ton has already been made, and these mills now quote at 14/. for fine, and 12/. per ton for seconds. Bran Is. 4d. per bushel. Mr. Smart: A few fine samples of new wheat have appeared in the market, and realised 4s. 6d. per bushel. Flour remains without alteration, at 12/. per ton for fine, and 10/. for seconds. Bran 51. per 2000 lbs. Cattle, &c, for Slaughter.—The present supply of every description of stock is both abundant in point of number, and excellent in regard to quality, and considerable numbers are reported on the road. From the tenor of letters from the Lower Murnnnbidgee and other principal grazing districts, there is every reason to expect that this suite of things will last during

the summer months. The following returns of sales will show the state of the market:—Cattle: 80 at 265. per head; 150 at 275. 6d. ; 112 at 295. 3d. ;70 at 315.; and 60 at 355. Sheep: Two lots without the wool, one of 600, 3s. 6d., and the other of 500 fetched 4s. 2d. per head. One lot of lambs in the wool fetched 7s. per head. Calves sell at from Bs. 6d. to 21s. Pigs from 2&d. for large to 3¥d. per lb. for small sizes. Horses.—The market is overstocked with small half-broken mares and horses, for which there are no buyers, although large ready made horses are scarce and in demand at fair prices. Mr. Stewart has sold, since last report, 41 head, as follows: one,at 2ll.; three, at I7l.; five, at 101. ; thirteen, at from 14/. to 18/.; and nineteen, at from 4.1. to 71. 10s. each. At Armstrong's Repository, the sales have been 70 head. Good cart, carriage, and saddle horses have brought good prices. The principal part of the sales have been in brood mares, which, from the few buyers in the market, brought very low prices considering the high breeding of the animals.