it that the
accounts so nearly approached the miraculous, that we were relieved by
the evidence of our own senses on the subject. The specimens have all
the appearance of the native gold we had seen from the mines of North
Carolina and Virginia, and we are informed that the Secretary would
send the small chest, called a caddy, containing about 3,000 dollars'
worth of gold, in lumps and scales, to the mint, to be melted into
coins and bars. The specimens have come to Washington as they were
extracted from the materials of the placer. The heaviest piece brought
by Lieutenant Loeser weighs a little more than two ounces; but the
varied contents of the casket (as described in Colonel Mason's
schedule) will be sent off to-day, by special messenger, to the mint at
Philadelphia for assay, and early next week we hope to have the
pleasure of laying the result before our readers." The assay was
subsequently made, and the result officially announced. The gold is
declared to be from 3 to 8 per cent. purer than American standard gold
coin.

ANOTHER ASSAY.--The following is the report of an assay of Californian
gold dust, received by Mr. T.O. Larkin, United States consul at
Monterey.

"New York, Dec. 8, 1848.

"Sir,--I have assayed the portion of gold dust, or metal, from
California, which you sent me, and the result shows that it is fully
equal to any found in our Southern gold mines. I return you 10-3/4
grains out of the 12 which I have tested, the value of which is 45
cents. It is 21-1/2 carats fine--within half a carat of the quality of
English sovereigns or American eagles--and is almost ready to go to the
mint. The finest gold metal we get is from Africa, which is 22-1/2 to
23 carats fine. In Virginia we have mines where the quality of the gold
is much inferior--some of it so low as 19 carats--and in Georgia the
mines produce it nearly 22 carats fine. The gold of California, which I
have now assayed, is fully equal to that of any, and much superior to
some produced from the mines in our Southern States.

"JOHN WARWICK,
Smelter and refiner, 17, John-Street."

INCONVENIENCES OF TOO MUCH GOLD.--The following letter (January 12)
from Captain Fulsom, of the United States Service, writing from San
Francisco, confirms the fact of the difficulty of procuring servants,
or indeed manual assistance of any description:--

"All sorts of labour is got at enormous rates of compensation. Common
clerks and salesmen in the stores abo