South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Friday 19 March 1852, page 2


GLORIOUS NEWS.— ARRIVAL OF MR. TOLMER AT WELLINGTON WITH UPWARDS OF A QUARTER OF A TON OF GOLD FROM MOUNT ALEXANDER.

In fulfilment of the prophecy which we venturtf to utter in our issue of. the lith ultimo, We have ? . this morning the high gratification of amio^cm^';: the safe arrival of Mr. Commissioner Tm.u««» «t ......

Wellington with the first Overland Escort, bringing . UPWARDS OF A, QUARTER OF ., A TON OF GOLD. The journey was accomplished in eleven days, the party having started from Mount Alexander on the 5th instant, and reached Wellington on Tuesday the !6th. The scheme of establishing a short practicable i route between Adelaide and the Gold DiggingsXand^ -. an armed Escort for the conveyance of Gold to South Australia, has thus far succeeded to admiration. It now only requires a proper system of ' ? relays on the road, so as to ensure the regular periodical arrival in town of the Escort and' the Mails, to crown the undertaking. The very large sum now brought over (upwards of .£21,000) was collected in 'two days, and we are ! assured that, if Mr. Tolmer had had a sufficient staff with him to have taken charge of the treasure ! on his first arrival at the Diggings, there would have been fully half a ton of the precious metal sent over with this first Escort. We have the.best authority also 'for stating that the quantity of Gold which maybe safely estimated to arrive monthly' is ' not less than half a ton. We learn further that all those persons who have remitted Gold by this ' Escort, and hundreds of other persons with whom Mr. Tolmer conversed, expressed themselves most;, willing to pay the South Australian Government, as an Escort fee, two per cent, upon the. amount sent to this Province, so that, independently of the benefits which the Colony will derive from such a large accession of material wealth, a considerable revenue may be expected to accrue from this source to the Colonial Treasury, applicable to the thorough improvement of the route and the means of con- '* veyance. The cheering prospects which are thus unfolded ' to the Colony will be acknowledged, we doubt not, on all hands, with emotions of profound gratitude after the intense anxieties of the last three months. ' It must not be forgotten, however, that the full enjoyment of the advantages now opened up to us is dependent altogether upon the zeal and vigour of the Local Government in immediately placing the Assay Office in a condition of absolute efficiency and in expediting by sufficient reinforcements: the i operations of the Survey party who are engaged onfe^? improving the improvable portions of the 6verlarid: road. The whole community join with one voice in urging upon His Excellency to devote an energetic goodwill to the accomplishment of these two grand objects, and we trust Sir Henry Youno will be fully alive to the necessity of liberally satisfying the just impatience of the public in both these matters. . ? ; ' ' We have much pleasure in publishing the following very interesting communication which has reached us from Mount Alexander by the Escort. The writer is well known to us. His letter is pregnant with suggestions, which will afford topics for future consideration : — . TO THE EDITOR OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Sir— The return overland of the party under the command of Mr. Commissioner Tolmer, affords an opportunity of com- municating with Adelaide, without the uncertainty of letters reaching' their destination, an uncertainty which always exists where the rural Post-Offices of this colony are employed. I think this a favourable occasion therefore, for informing my fellow colonists of South Australia, through your columns, of the bright dawn which is arising on our land, at present so greatly depressed. ' '^ The experiment is conclusive in its immediate results. It has perfectly succeeded, and as regards the future, promises: much benefit both to the gold-yielding and the gold-digging colony ; for to the latter designation, South Australia it, par excellence entitled. Mr. Carieton's tent, which is close to the hut from which I write, is at this moment thronged with diggers struggling as hard to get rid of gold as men usually do to obtain it. The same scene haa presented itself from 7 a.m. till moonlight yesterday, and since the same hoar this morning; and from what I see, the Commissioner and Mr. Carleton are likely to continue employed without ces-sation in receiving the precious metal throughout tomorrow.All services on this introductory occasion are rendered gratuitously, but that fact doea not in the least assist to account for the throng of diggers collected from all parts of this ex-tensive gold-field. The advantages to them are so great and numerous that they will gladly pay reasonable charges for safe escort for their earnings direct to Adelaide. That these advantages are unanimously appreciated the warm reception of Mr. Tolmer on his arrival, and the interest taken in his subsequent proceedings, fully evince. But in addition to the obvious benefits conferred on our colony by the direct transmission of the colonists' gold, there are others to be anticipated more extensive and permanent. Mr. Tolmer's trip has proved that a good and comparatively short route from Adelaide, well supplied with '. water, does exist. From what quarter could these gold~mining thousands so well be fed as from thence ? On this point a consideration more important even than the mercantile re- . suscitation of South Australia will immediately force itself on the attention of the colonies. At present the number of persons congregated at the Diggings is estimated at 40,000. The dally balance of arrivals over departures must be counted by hundreds ; thousands near at hand wait alone for the rain ere they repair to the spot; and tens of thou-sands will hereafter arrive from all colonies and countries. It is, then, reasonable to anticipate that our present num- ber will be doubled in three months time. Eighty thou- sand mouths to be filled every day, at a distance of from 70 to 100 miles from Melbourne ! Will conveyances be foandL_ for such a vast amount of supplies, or will the Melbourne -road bear the traffic ? The latter is soft in many places and during the first month of winter will be cut into a sseries of bogs! The bridges over the several creeks, even now, will scarce bear the weight of a well-laden dray ; and then, if still existing, will be unapproachable. The Adelaide

Government is accustomed to study public conTenience and advancement Thatof Melbourne, on the contrary, appears to consider the Urea, properties, and conveniences of the Queen's subjects matters of small account. If the former will do the needful to secure a short, good, and safe road, partly by water carriage or otherwise, the private enterprise of our Chambers'* *ill do toe rest Gold-diggers from wliatever quarter will oe sure of food ; while those of South Australia will obtain a pleasant mode of transit, certain in its duration, to and from their families. A consideration not less important is, ihat due arrangement being made between the two colonies, letters will travel with regularity and dispatch. The want of arrangements securing this is grievously felt here. Take myself as an instance.* I have been near eight weeks in suspense as to the welfare of my family until yesterday, when I received the third letter addressed to me by them— the former two being rid one knows where. Hundreds have lent remittances many weeks ago, and know not if they have been feceive-1. The nearest Government post-office to fchis place is 20 miles distant, only excepting one 10 miles In the opposite direction, which latter is a public-house, where, of course, the dispensing of grog is much better at tended to than the handing over of letters. In this very populous locality, the Post-office is a private speculation, most inefficiently carried out Two Adelaide nai-ers per Week havebeen forwarded to me, none of which have ar rived: Had I received thorn, of course I must have paid touch charge upon them as the substitute for Government might choose to inflict ?, but I believe he altogether declines to carry them. I hare but slightly touched on some of the considerations which more especially affect our own colony ; but if these remarks should prove sufficient to draw the attention of our Tjovernment and our merchants to the subject, my object in addressing you will be answered. lam, Sir, yours truly, NUGGET.

Forest Creek, Mount Alexander, -1- March 4, 1852, It also affords us Very sincere gratification to have received copies of the two subjoined letters which were addressed to Mr. Tolmer as he was on the point of leaving Mount Alexander : — Commissioner's Camp, March 2, 1852. My dear Tolmer.— I have just returned from a very large public Meeting, convened for the purpose of voting you the thanks of the Gold miners. You have certainly won their iroiden opinions, if I may judge from some of the speeches. One gent, covered with mud, a regular Digger, or ' Brick,' proposed getting up a bag of gold for presentation to you, but as it is understood that you leave this morning there is no time for it On the breaking up of the Meeting three cheers were given for you, and three times three for your Governor by the great unwashed. A deputation yns ap pointed to present you with the thanks of the meeting, but many fear it is too late. However this will follow you if there is a chance. Your's in haste, very truly, WM. BOYCE. To Alexander Tolmer, Esq.