|
| |
The Discovery of Gold in Australia
The Discovery of Gold in Australia. However, on the
discovery of gold in 1851, the Colonial trade leapt out of its stagnation and
squalor and at one bound became one of the most important in all the world's
Mercantile Marine. And when the gold fever drew a stream of ignorant English,
Scotch and Irish peasants to Australia, men, women and children, most of whom
have never seen a ship before they embarked and who were as helpless and
shiftless as babes aboard, it. was seen that something must be done to improve
the conditions on the emigrant ships. Government regulations were made more
strict, and inspectors appointed; but the time had passed when they" were
needed comptition now automatically improved the emigrant ships from stern to
stem.
The discovery of alluvial gold in Australia was mainly
brought about by the great Californian strike of 1849. That strike upset the
theories of geologists and set every man on the world's frontiers searching for
the elusive metal. The first authentic discovery ,in the Colonies was made near
Clunes, in March, 1850, but it was not until September, 1851, that gold began to
be found in such astounding quantities" that large fortunes were rocked out
in a few weeks.
The-first license for diggers were isued in September, 1851
and the effect on the ports of Melbourne and Geelong was immediate wage began to
rise fabulous heights, as did the common necessaries of life even ,to wood and
water. Shearers, harvesters and bushmen were ..soon almost unobtainable and the
very squatters themselves left their herds and flocks and rushed to the
goldfields. The police and custom -house officials followed them", and in
turn were followed by the professional men of the towns the doctors, lawyers and
even clergymen. And as has ever been case, sailors, running from their ships,
were ever in the forfront of~ the stampede.
By the end of September there were; 567 men at
Ballarat; they, by means of the primitive Australia gold rocker, had rocked out
4010 ounces or £12,030 worth of gold taking it at its then comihercial value of
£3 per ounce. There were. only 143 rockers, ~yet this amount had. been~ won in
712 days' work, presenting a day and ~a quarter's work per man. At the beginning
of Novemboer it was estimated that there were 67,0000 ounces of gold in banks
and Private hands af Melbourne and Geelong. From this date newfields to which
wild stampedes took place, were discovered almost daily. Forrest Creek,Bendigo
Arart, Dunolly and the Ovens all show color at once
| |
|
