Handbook to the new Gold-fields | Page 2

tending to open up a direct communication
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from Europe across the continent
of America to India and China. This is a grand idea, and the colonial
minister who carries it out will accomplish a greater thing than any of
his predecessors, for he will open up the means of carrying English
civilisation to the whole of that vast continent and to the eastern world.
The pioneers in this movement will conquer the territory not with arms
in their hands, but with the gold-rocker, the plough, the loom, and the
anvil, the steam-boat, the railway, and the telegraph. Commerce and
agriculture, disenthralled by the influences of free institutions, will

cause the new empire to spring into life, full armed, like Minerva from
the brain of Jupiter. Its Pacific ports will be thronged with ships of all
nations, its rich valleys will blossom with nature's choicest products,
while its grand rivers will bear to the sea the fruits of free and honest
labour. Great as have been our achievements in the planting of colonies,
we have never entered upon a more magnificent work than the one now
before us, in which the united energies of the two great branches of the
Anglo-Saxon race will be engaged, heart and hand.
While the present volume is intended chiefly for those desiring
information on the subject of the gold discoveries, it also addresses
itself to the general public, for the condition and character of the
country and its inhabitants cannot fail to be a subject of inquiry with all
who can appreciate the importance of its situation. The book lays claim
to no merit but that of careful collation. Little information is given but
what is derived from sources of general access; but it does profess to
set forth the truth as far as that could be obtained from the conflicting
statements of different parties.
While the following pages will be found to contain ample proof as to
the extent and richness of the gold fields; as well as the salubrity of the
climate, it is satisfactory to be able to state here that the country is
proved to be easily accessible both for English and American
merchandise. The public have now certain, though unofficial news, of
the journey of the Governor of Vancouver's Island as far as Fort Hope,
about one hundred miles above the mouth of the Fraser River and
seventy above Fort Langley. This voyage has established the extremely
important fact, that the river is navigable for steamers at least up to this
point, where the mines are now known to be of extraordinary wealth,
although it is reported that their yield regularly increases as the stream
is ascended. It is now proved that these districts are actually within
from fifteen to twenty-three hours steam of Victoria, the principal town
of the Vancouver's Island colony. It is difficult to exaggerate the
importance of this fact. It is true that the same voyage which the
steamer carrying the Governor of Vancouver's Island successfully
performed, was attempted without success by another steamer about the
same time--a fact which probably indicates that the river will be

navigable only for vessels of small draught, and possibly, perhaps, not
equally navigable at all seasons; for we must remember that in the early
part of June, when this attempt was successfully made, the waters of
the river had already begun to rise, in consequence of the melting of the
snow from the Rocky Mountains, from which it springs. But they were
then by no means at their full height; and even if the river be only
navigable by vessels of small draught, that is a fact of very little
importance as compared with the certainty that it is navigable at all to
so considerable a height. Fort Hope is, as we have said, about one
hundred miles up the river--that is to say, about one hundred and ninety
from Victoria in Vancouver's Island, the voyage across the Gulf of
Georgia being about ninety miles. The rich diggings between Fort Yale
and Fort Hope are, therefore, not so far from the fertile land of
Vancouver's Island as London from Hull and the distance from Victoria
to the mouth of the river, where gold is at present found inconsiderable
quantities, is not so great as the distance from Liverpool to Dublin.
Now, as almost all the importance of a mining district depends on easy
communication with a provision market--and the very richest will be
rendered comparatively insignificant if provisions can only be carried
thither at enormous cost and labour--no fact has yet been established of
more importance than the easy navigability of the Fraser River.
Immediately above Fort Yale, which is twelve miles higher up the river
than the point reached by the steamer, a