Handbook to the new Gold-fields by R. M. Ballantyne (top android ebook reader .txt) 📖

of all those seas, straits, bays, rivers, lakes, creeks, and sounds, in whatsoever latitude they shall be, that lie within the entrance of the straits, commonly called Hudson’s Straits, together with all the lands and territories upon the countries, coasts, and confines of the seas, bays, lakes, rivers, creeks and sounds aforesaid, that are not already actually possessed by or granted to any of our subjects, or possessed by the subjects of any other Christian prince or State, with the fishing of all sorts of fish, whales, sturgeons, and all other royal fishes in the seas, bays, inlets, and rivers within the premises; and the fish therein taken, together with the royalty of the sea upon the coasts within the limits aforesaid, and all mines royal, as well discovered as not discovered, of gold, silver, gems, and precious stones to be found or discovered within the territories, limits, and places aforesaid;” and the charter declares that “the said land be from henceforth reckoned as one of our plantations or colonies in America, called Rupert’s Land.” Comparison between Price of Labour in Australia and California or British Columbia.

From the Times’ Correspondent.

I take the wages in Australia from a Melbourne paper of 16th March, which gives the wages current at that time! I received it direct a few days ago. I reduce our American currency into sterling at 48 pence to the dollar, that being about its current value here.

Melbourne Wages.

Married couples (servants), 60 pounds to 70 pounds per annum; female servants, 25 pounds to 30 pounds per annum; gardeners, 55 pounds to 60 pounds per annum; grooms, 40 pounds to 50 pounds a-year; carpenters, 12 shillings to 14 shillings per day; ditto, rough, 25 shillings to 30 shillings per week; masons and bricklayers, 10 shillings to 15 shillings per day; waiters, 20 shillings to 25 shillings per week; compositors, 1 shilling 4 pence per 1000; blacksmiths, 40 shillings per week; farm labourers, 15 shillings to 20 shillings per week; shepherds, 20 pounds to 25 pounds a-year.

California Wages.

Married couples (servants), 192 pounds per annum, and found; female servants, 80 pounds to 96 pounds, and kept; gardeners, 120 pounds a-year, and found; by the day, 3 dollars, now 4 dollars; young men in stables as grooms, 120 pounds a-year, and found, 16 pounds a month and find themselves; carpenters, with us till lately 1 pound a-day, now 28 shillings a-day; “rough” and smooth, I never knew any difference—and all bad; masons and bricklayers at lowest time, 25 shillings a-day, here at present 35 shillings a-day; waiters, 6 pounds to 8 pounds a-month in San Francisco; compositors, 2 shillings 10 and a half pence per 1000 type, our types double size; blacksmiths, 3 pounds 12 shillings to 6 pounds a-week; general rate, 5 dollars a day; farm labourers, 6 pounds a-month, and found, and only work from 7 o’clock to 6 o’clock, with two hours for meals; shepherds, 144 pounds, 10 shillings a-year, and found; a competent shepherd worth 240 pounds a-year, and found; or, to serve on shares of increase of stock, on very liberal terms.

All provisions except animal food, are cheaper in San Francisco than in Melbourne.

Treaty made between the United States and Great Britain in regard to the Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains, June 15, 1846.

Article 1. From the point on the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, where the boundary laid down in existing treaties and conventions between the United States and Great Britain, terminates, the line of boundary between the territories of the United States and those of her Britannic Majesty shall be continued westward along the said forty-ninth parallel of north, latitude to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver’s Island, and thence southerly through the middle of the said channel, and of Fuca’s Straits, to the Pacific ocean: Provided, however, that the navigation of the whole of the said channel and straits, south of the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, remain free and open to both parties.

Article 2. From the point at which the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude shall be found to intersect the great northern branch of the Columbia River, the navigation of the said branch shall be free and open to the Hudson’s Bay Company, and to all British subjects trading with the same, to the point where the said branch meets the main stream of the Columbia, and thence down the said main stream to the ocean, with free access into and through the said river or rivers, it being understood that all the usual portages along the line thus described shall, in like manner, be free and open. In navigating the said river or rivers, British subjects, with their goods and produce, shall be treated on the same footing as citizens of the United States; it being, however, always understood that nothing in this article shall be construed as preventing or intended to prevent, the government of the United States from making any regulations respecting the navigation of the said river or rivers not inconsistent with the present treaty.

Article 3. In the future appropriation of the territory south of the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, as provided in the first article of this treaty, the possessory rights of the Hudson’s Bay Company, and of all British subjects who may be already in the occupation of land or other property, lawfully acquired within the said territory, shall be respected.

Article 4. The farms, lands, and other property of every description, belonging to the Puget’s Sound Agricultural Company, on the north side of the Columbia River, shall be confirmed to the said company. In case, however, the situation of those farms and lands should be considered by the United States to be of public and political importance, and the United States Government should signify a desire to obtain possession of the whole, or of any part thereof, the property so required shall be transferred to the said government, at a proper valuation, to be agreed upon between the parties.

Form of Licence Granted to Diggers.

The bearer having paid to me the sum of twenty-one shillings on account of the territorial revenue, I hereby license him to dig, search for, and remove gold on and from any such crown land within the — of — as I shall assign to him for that purpose during the month of —, 185—.

This licence must be produced whenever demanded by me or any other person acting under the authority of the Government. A.B., Commissioner.

Proclamation Issued by Governor Douglas.

On the 8th day of May 1858, Governor Douglas issued the following proclamation:—

By his Excellency James Douglas, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the colony of Vancouver’s Island and its dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, etcetera, etcetera.

Whereas it is commonly reported that certain boats and other vessels have entered Fraser River for trade; and whereas there is reason to apprehend that other persons are preparing and fitting out boats and vessels for the same purpose.

Now, therefore, I have issued this my proclamation, warning all persona that such acts are contrary to law, and infringements upon the rights of the Hudson’s Bay Company, who are legally entitled to trade with the Indians in the British possessions on the north-west coast of America, to the exclusion of all other persons, whether British or foreign.

And also, that after fourteen days from the date of this my proclamation, all ships, boats, and vessels, together with the goods laden on board found in Fraser River, or in any of the bays, rivers, or creeks of the said British possessions on the north-west coast of America, not having a licence, from the Hudson’s Bay Company, and a sufferance from the proper officer of the customs at Victoria, shall be liable to forfeiture, and will be seized and condemned according to law.

Given under my hand and seal at Government House, Victoria, this eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and in the twenty-first year of Her Majesty’s reign.

James Douglas, Governor.

By his Excellency’s command, Richard Colledge, Secretary.

God save the Queen.

General Sufferance for the Navigation of Fraser River.

Port Victoria, Vancouver’s Island.

These are to certify, to all whom it doth concern, that the sufferance for the present voyage is granted on the condition annexed to —, master of the —, burthen — tons, mounted with — guns, navigated with — men, to proceed on a voyage to Fort Langley with passengers, their luggage, provisions, and mining tools. The above-mentioned — register being deposited in the custom house at Victoria, hath here entered and cleared his said — according to law.

Roderick Finlayson, Pro Hudson’s Bay Company.

Conditions of Sufferance.

1. That the owner of the boat does bind himself to receive no other goods on board but such goods as belong to the Hudson’s Bay Company.

2. That the said owner also binds himself not to convey or import gunpowder, ammunition, or utensils of war, except from the United Kingdom.

3. That he also binds himself to receive no passengers, except the said passengers do produce a gold mining licence and permit from the Government at Vancouver’s Island.

4. That the said owner also binds himself not to trade with Indians.

Advantages possessed by British Columbia over Australia as a Field for Emigration.

From the Times’ Correspondent.

From Australia, too, the emigration will be large. In that country the cream has already been skimmed off the “placers.” The efflorescence of gold near the surface has been dug out, hence the results of individual exertions are becoming less promising; and the miner is a restless, excitable creature, whose love of freedom and independence indisposes him to associate himself in enterprises requiring an aggregation of capital and labour. He prefers to work “on his own hook,” or with one or two “chums” at most. This is the feeling in this country. There is another cause which will bring vast numbers of miners from Australia, and that is the great scarcity of water—a desideratum of the first importance. This first necessary for mining, operations exists in abundance at all seasons in the new El Dorado, and this fact alone will attract additional miners to it from every mining country and locality in which water is scarce. Another great objection to Australia is the impossibility of acquiring land in fee in small parcels at or near to the mines. Many men take to mining as a means of making sufficient money to buy farming implements and stock with. As soon as this object is accomplished, they abandon mining for farming. Did not California afford the means of gratifying this wish, thousands of our miners would have left the country. As it is, with abundance of good land to be had cheap, I have found that a large proportion of the farms in the interior of this country are owned by farmers who bought them with the produce of their labour in the mines. The same advantages can be obtained in the new gold country, there being plenty of good land in the British territory in the neighbourhood and on Vancouver’s Island. It is to be hoped the Government will make the price reasonable.

Prices of Provisions, etcetera, at the Gold Fields.

The following tariff of charges, collected by the Times’ correspondent, is now only valuable in a historical point of view, as, under the healthy competition of the Californian merchants, prices have already found their own level:—

“Canoes are very scarce; the price has risen from 50 dollars and 80 dollars to 100 dollars each. Many parties have built light boats for themselves, but they did not answer.”

“We have got up, but we had a hard time coming.”

“Jordan is a hard road to travel; lost all our outfit, except flour. Our canoe was capsized in the falls, and was broken to pieces. Six other canoes capsized and smashed the same day near the same place. Poor whites and two Indians belonging to these six canoes drowned.”

Provisions high up the river are exorbitant of course, as they can only be brought up in canoes requiring long “portages.” Here’s the