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Cyn ymadael â Sydney, rhaid i ni roi un “tro bach” ymhlith y crefftwyr, a’r gweddill o’r dosbarth llafurus. Cyn agor y cloddfeydd hudol, gallasem ddyfod o hyd i lawer mwy o honynt tua’r melinau a’r gweithfeydd, y porthydd a’r ierdydd adeiladu llongau. Y mae adeiladu ac adgyweirio llongau yn waith mawr a chynnyddol yma, gan fod llestri o bob gwlad, wedi eu hanmharu gan ddryghin yn y moroedd hyn, yn rhedeg i mewn yma i drwsio a thaclu; heb son am yr holl longau newydd a adeiledir yn y Gilfach. Y mae yn lle da i seiri llongau. |
Before leaving Sydney, we must spend a little time among the artisans, and the rest of the labouring class. Before the magical mines were opened, we could have found many more of them about the mills and the factories, the ports and the shipyards. Building and repairing ships is a large and increasing task here, as vessels from every country, damaged by bad weather in these waters, run in here to mend and trim; not to mention all the new ships built in the Cove. It is rather a good place for shipwrights. |
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Y mae adeiladu tai, maelfeydd, ystorfäau, palasdai, &c., yn myned ymlaen yn brysur iawn yn y brifddinas, a’r holl drefydd taleithiol. Cyn darganfod yr aur, yr oedd cyflogu crefftwyr yn debyg fel y canlyn:—seiri llongau, gofaint, canwyrwyr (coopers), asiedwyr (joiners), seiri coed, a seiri meini, priddfaenwyr (bricklayers), &c., o bum’ swllt i chwech yn y dydd; a llifwyr yn ennill o ddwy bunt i ddeg swllt a deugain yn yr wythnos; cryddion a theilwriaid, o bedwar swllt i chwe’ swllt yn y dydd. Y mae yn ddïammheu fod y fath wmbredd o esgidiau a dillad wedi eu gwneyd yn barod ag a dderbynir o Loegr, yn gwneyd drwg mawr i’r ddwy grefft olaf. Ond y mae y cyflogau wedi codi yn fawr iawn yn ddiweddar. Dywed y “Sydney Morning Herald,” am y 6ed o Fawrth diweddaf,— |
The building of houses, shops, storehouses, mansions, &c., proceeds apace in the capital, and all the provincial towns. Before the discovery of gold, artisans such as the following were hired:—shipwrights, blacksmiths, coopers, joiners, carpenters, stonemasons, bricklayers, &c., from five to six shillings a day; and sawyers fetched two pounds to fifty shillings a week; cobblers and tailors, from four to six shillings a day. There is no doubt that shoes and clothes have already been made in similar abundance to what is received from England, doing great harm to the last two trades. But the wages have recently risen very greatly. The Sydney Morning Herald,” for the 6th of March last, says— |
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“Bydd ein cyfeillion yn Lloegr yn naturiol yn awyddus i glywed, gyda’r llongau sydd ar fin cychwyn o Borth Jackson, pa fodd yr ydym yn myned ymlaen o dan yr amgylchiad newydd sydd wedi disgyn ar y drefedigaeth. |
“Our friends in England will naturally be anxious to hear, by the ships now on the eve of departure from Port Jackson, how we are getting on under the new circumstances which have befallen the colony, … |
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“Nid yw yn llawn ddeng mis er pan ddygwyd ein trysorau euraidd gyntaf i oleuni; eto o fewn yr yspaid byr hwn, y mae trefedigaethau Deheubarth Cymru Newydd a Victoria wedi anfon ymaith, mewn gwahanol longau, tua gwerth un filiwn o aur bob un, neu werth dwy filiwn rhyngddynt. A phan ystyrir bod hyn yn gynnyrch mwngloddiad difedr, llafur heb ei raghyfforddi i’r gorchwyl neillduol hwn, heb ei addysgu trwy wyddoriaeth, na’i gynnal â moddion arianol, a bod nifer y cloddwyr, yn ein trefedigaeth ni o leiaf, yn dwyn cyfartaledd disylw iawn i eangder a chyfoethogrwydd y maes, a bod gororau newydd o lochesfeydd euraidd yn dyfod i’r amlwg bob dydd, agos yn mhob rhan o’r ganolwlad, i’r gogledd ac i’r de, yn gystadl ag i’r gorllewin—gall ein cyfeillion gartref ffurfio rhyw ddamcaniad o’r hyn y mae Awstralia i’w gyrhaeddyd rhagllaw, gyda phoblogaeth mwy cyfartal i’r gwaith sydd ganddi i’w wneyd, gyda goleuni gwybodaeth a phrofiad i gyfarwyddo ei gweithrediadau, a chynnorthwy arian i roddi tir teg i’w hegnïadau. Y mae yn llawen genym allu ychwanegu, bod y filiwn yma o aur a gynnyrchwyd yn Neheubarth Cymru Newydd, wedi cael ei chasglu heb un rhwystr o bwys i’n gorchwylion eraill, a chyda’r cynhyrfiad lleiaf ag oedd yn bosibl ar drefn a thangnefedd cyhoeddus. Y mae ein meusydd ŷd eto wedi cael eu trin, a’n defaid eto wedi cael eu cneifio. Y mae ein prifddinas yn parhau yn olygfa trafnidiaeth brysur, ac adeiladau pendefigaidd yn cyfodi yn ei heolydd. Y mae ein gweithrediadau mwngloddiol wedi cymeryd y ffurf o ddiwydrwydd sefydlog; ein haur yn cael ei gasglu heb ffwndwr a dyryswch, ac yn cael ei gludo yn ddïogel i’r farchnad gan osgorddion o sefydliad rheolaidd y llywodraeth, ar draul gymedrol i’w berchenogion, tra y mae y symiau a ddygir i’r dref, ac a anfonir i’r môr, yn cael eu cyhoeddi mor reolaidd yn y newyddiaduron a’n cynnyrchion annefnyddiedig eraill. Y mae y drefn ragorol sydd yn cael ei chynnal o hyd yn ein cloddfeydd, nid trwy ffrwyniadau milwraidd, ond trwy synwyr da ac uniondeb moesol y corff mawr o gloddwyr eu hunain, yn achos cyfiawn o falchder i’r trefedigion, a dylai annog miloedd o’n cyd-ddeiliaid gartref i ddyfod trosodd i’n cynnorthwyo. Y mae arnom anghen am eu cynnorthwy. Y mae ein preiddiau a’n dëadellau yn cynnyddu, tra y mae y farchnad lafur wedi ei gwaghau. O ganlyniad, y mae y cyflogau wedi codi i daliadau yn maintoli ar y cyfan yn rhywle tua 30 y cant. Y mae genym ddigonedd o waith i filoedd lawer o ymfudwyr Brytaniadd, ond gofalu eu bod mewn gwirionedd yn ddynion a allant roddi gwaith diwrnod da am gyflog diwrnod da. Nid oes arnom eisieu dim segurwyr, ac nid oes arnom ychwaith eisieu dim ychwaneg o’r dosbarth heidiol hwnw o foneddigion ieuainc nas gallant wneyd dim ond eistedd ar ystol i drin y bluen. O’r rhai’n y mae genym fwy na digon. Ond y mae dynion wedi ymgynnefino â gwaith caled, pa un bynag ai crefftwyr neu lafurwyr, a phobl yn meddu arian i’w rhoi allan, pa un bynag ai llawer ai ychydig, yn sicr o ddyfod o hyd i well lle yn Neheubarth Cymru Newydd nag a gynnygir mewn un parth arall o’r byd. Bydded iddynt gofio nad oes hinsawdd ragorach o ran llarieiddrwydd ac iachusrwydd; bod ein daear yn galluog i gynnyrchu y cwbl sydd ar ddyn ei eisieu er ei gynnaliaeth, a’r rhan fwyaf o’r moethusion a brisir ganddo; a bod y drefedigaeth, ar yr amser y darganfyddwyd ein meusydd aur, gyda phoblogaeth o lai na dau can’ mil (200,000) o eneidiau, yn meddu can’ mil (100,000) o feirch, miliwn a hanner (1,500,000) o anifeiliaid corniog, a mwy nag wyth miliwn (8,000,000) o ddefaid; yn cynnyrchu cyllid blyneddol o chwe’ chan’ mil (600,000) o bunnau; ac yn anfon allan o’i chynnyrchion a’i llaw-weithiadau ei hun, werth un filiwn (1,000,000) yn flyneddol, yn gwbl ddiberthynas â’i haur.1 Wrth gydio y ffaith hon â’r ffaith fawr a grybwyllwyd uchod, sef ein bod, o fewn deng mis, wedi anfon ymaith werth miliwn o aur—ffrwyth diwydrwydd heddychol, ac ernes o amser dysgleiriach rhagllaw—rhaid i’n cyfeillion yn Lloegr addef fod ein gororau yn meddu deniadau cryfion, i bawb sydd yn meddwl bod yn well, iddo ymfudo nag aros gartref.” |
“It is not quite ten months since our auriferous treasures were first brought to light; yet within that brief period the colonies of New South Wales and Victoria have each shipped about one million’s worth of gold, or two millions’ worth in all. And when it is considered that this has been the product of unskilled mining, of labour untrained to the peculiar employment, untaught by science, unsustained by capital; that, in our own colony at least, the number of diggers has ever borne the most insignificant proportion to the extent and richness of the field, and that every day new regions of auriferous deposit are found in almost every part of the interior, to the north and to the south, as well as to the west; our friends at home may form some estimate as to what Australia is to achieve hereafter, with a population less inadequate to the work she has to do, with the lights of science and experience to direct her operations, and with the aid of capital to give fair scope to her energies. “And we rejoice to add, that this million of gold produced in New South Wales has been gathered without any serious detriment to our other interests, and with the least possible disturbance of public order and tranquillity. Our corn fields have still been cultivated, our sheep have still been shorn. Our metropolitan city remains a busy scene of commerce, and stately edifices are rising up in her streets. Our mining operations have assumed the character of settled industry; our gold is collected without bustle or confusion, and securely carried to market by the regularly established Government escorts, at a moderate expense to its proprietors; while the quantities brought to town and shipped for exportation are as systematically reported in the newspapers as those of any other of our raw productions. The admirable order which has all along been maintained at our diggings, not by military restraints, but by the good sense and moral rectitude of the great mass of the diggers themselves, is indeed a just cause of pride to the colonists, and ought to encourage thousands of our fellow-subjects at home to come over and help us. “We need their help. Our flocks and herds are increasing, while the labour market is exhausted. Wages have consequently advanced at rates averaging on the whole somewhere about thirty per cent. We have ample employment for many thousands of British immigrants, provided they be men who can really give a good day’s work for a good day’s wage. We do not want loungers; neither do we want any more of that swarming class of young gentlemen who can do nothing but sit on a stool and handle the quill. Of these we have always more than enough. But persons accustomed to hard work, whether artisans or labourers, and persons with money to invest, whether of large amount or small, will find in New South Wales a finer opening than any other part of the world presents. Let them remember that for mildness and salubrity our climate cannot be surpassed; that our soil is capable of producing all that man requires for sustenance, and most of the luxuries that he prizes; and that at the time our gold fields were discovered, the colony, with a population of less than two hundred thousand souls, possessed above a hundred thousand horses, 1,500,000 of horned cattle, and more than eight millions of sheep; yielded an annual revenue of £600,000; and exported, of her own produce or manufactures, to the extent of £1,100,000 per annum, altogether irrespective of her gold.1 Coupling these facts with the “great fact” mentioned above, that in ten months we have shipped a million’s worth of our new-found product, the fruit of peaceful industry, and the earnest of a still brighter future—our friends in England must admit that our shores have strong attractions for all who think it better to emigrate than to stay at home.” |
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Y mae cyflogau wedi codi llawer er y pryd hwnw. Dywed Mr. Schilling fod alcanwyr (tinmen) yn ennill tair punt yn yr wythnos, a phobyddion ddwy bunt, cyn iddo ef adael Sydney. |
Wages have risen greatly since that time. Mr. Schilling says that tinmen were earning three pounds a week, and bakers two pounds, before he left Sydney. |
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Dylem hefyd ystyried y gall dyn fyw yn rhatach o’r hanner yma nag yn Nghymru. Dywed Mr. Schilling mai pymtheg swllt yn yr wythnos a delid hyd yn nod gan y cloddwyr aur am eu bwrdd, pan ymwelodd efe â hwynt. Yn Sydney, ceir wyth pwys am swllt o beillied goreu, a naw pwys o leiaf o ail flawd, neu bedwar pwys o fara am chwe’ cheiniog; cig eidion o ddwy a dimai i dair ceiniog y pwys, cig defaid o ddwy geiniog i ddwy a dimai. |
We should also consider that one can live more cheaply by half than in Wales. Mr. Schilling says that even the gold miners paid fifteen shillings a week for their board, when he visited them. In Sydney, eight pounds of the best flour can be had for a shilling, and at least nine pounds of seconds, or four pounds of bread for sixpence; beef from twopence halfpenny to threepence a pound, mutton from twopence to twopence halfpenny. |
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Y mae yma gŵyn fawr am lafurwyr, a chyflogau da yn cael eu talu yn ewyllysgar:—i fugeiliaid a bucheswyr, tua phum punt ar hugain yn y flwyddyn, ynghyd â thŷ a bwyd; dwy bunt ar hugain a bwyd, i geidwaid neu warchodwyr bugeildai;2 o ugain i bedair punt ar hugain yn y flwyddyn, a’u bwrdd, i weision ffermydd; i forwynion ffermydd, o ddeuddeg i ugain punt. Dyna yr hen gyflogau a delid cyn i bob gwryw redeg i’r cloddfeydd. Ond y mae llawer o’r bugeiliaid yn cytuno am ran o’r gwlân a’r ŵyn; ac felly (megys Jacob gyda Laban), o fewn ychydig o flyneddau, yn dyfod, o fod yn meddu dim ond ffon, i berchen da lawer eu hunain. |
There is a great call here for labourers, and good wages are willingly paid:—to shepherds and cowherds, about twenty-five pounds a year, as well as a house and food; twenty-two pounds and food, to the keeper of a shepherd’s hut;2 from twenty to twenty-four pounds a year, and food, to farmhands; to farm maids, from twelve to twenty pounds. Those are the old wages paid before every man ran off to the goldfields. But many of the shepherds contract for a share of the wool and the lambs; and so (like Jacob with Laban),xiv within a few years, go from possessing nothing but a crook, to owning good stock of their own. |
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1 Y mae hyn lawer yn uwch na’r cyfrifon swyddol. Ond y mae yn wir le rhesymol i gredu bod y cyfrifon hyny yn cynnwys llawer llai na’r gwir rifedi. Y mae yr awdurdodau yn gorfod ymddibynu yn hollol ar y cyfrifon a ddewisa yr “yswatwyr” eu hanfon i mewn, ac y mae yn sicr eu bod yn gofalu rhag iddynt gyrhaedd nod codiad y rhent a’r dreth—h.y., y mae yn ddigon sicr bod y rhan fwyaf o honynt yn cadw mwy o lawer nag y maent yn talu am borfa iddynt. Dyma y cyfrifon dychweledig am y flwyddyn 1848, yn ol hanes Chambers:—
CYNNYRCHION.
Ond yn 1849 yr oedd mil a phum cant ac ugain (1,520) o drwyddedau wedi cael eu caniatäu i borfäu ar dair miliwn a deugain, wyth gant ac un ar bymtheg a phedwar ugain o filoedd (43,896,000) o erwau. Ond y mae Chambers ymhell iawn o fod yn gywir. Odid na cheir y cyfrif canlynol yn debycach i wir:—
Y cyfrifon isod a alluogant y darllenydd i ffurfio rhyw ddychymyg o gynnydd rhyfeddol poblogaeth Awstralia:—
2 Dywed Capper, mai “deg pwys o gig, deg pwys o flawd, dau bwys o sugr, a chwarter pwys o dê,” yw yr hyn a ganiatëir i bob un, fel rheol gyffredin. |
1 This is much higher than the official figures. But it is quite reasonable to believe that those figures are far less than the true numbers. The authors have to rely entirely on the figures the “squatters” choose to send in, and it is certain that they are careful not to provoke a rise in rent and tax—i.e., one can be quite sure that the majority of them keep much more than they spend on pasture. These are the figures returned for the year 1848, according to Chambers:—
PRODUCTS.
But in 1849 one thousand five hundred and twenty (1,520) licences were granted to graze on forty-three million, eight hundred and ninety-six thousand (43,896,000) acres. But Chambersis far from correct. Probably the following figures will be found nearer the truth:—
The figures below will enable the reader to form some idea of the remarkable increase in the population of Australia:—
2 Capper [Phillips’ Emigrant’s Guide to Australia, London, 1852] says, that “ten pounds of meat, ten pounds of flour, two pounds of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of tea,” is allowed each one, as a general rule. |
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xiv In Genesis 30 Jacob strikes a bargain with his uncle Laban for part of his flock. Cheated, he employs magical artifice to increase his own share of the flock and diminish Laban’s, and becomes wealthy. |
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