Eureka_Stockade

Date: 4th December, 1854 Price: 1 Shilling The Victorian Times The fight that was held at the Eureka Stockade (Ballarat, Victoria) started about just after when the rooster squawked on the 3rd December. The Government had about 279 coppers, troopers and the military altogether, and approximately 150 diggers from the gold field showed up. The fight only lasted for about 20 minutes, 22 troopers and only 4 gold diggers perished; with a lot people injured on both sides. the surviving policemen arrested over 100 diggers at the end of the fight. The diggers had very limited weapons as the troopers had guns with bayonets. Here are some important events that led up to the Eureka fight * 6th October Ballarat hotel disallowed James Scobie and Peter Martin because they were too drunk, James Scobie was discovered dead outside The Eureka Hotel. * 17th October Roughly around 1,000 diggers gathered around the Eureka Hotel where James Scobie was killed. After a while 4,000 diggers have burnt down the Eureka Hotel. * 11th November The Ballarat diggers held a meeting together at Bakery Hill when they have planned that they will fight for improvements in law and services from the government, voting rights for themselves and ending of licence fee. * 29th October All diggers have burnt their mining licences. * 30th October Again another meeting at Bakery Hill. At the meeting, Peter Lalor, the leader of the Ballarat diggers said “We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other and fight to defend.” * 2nd December Only approximately 150 diggers were remained at the Ballarat goldfield (there were about 25,000 diggers altogether before the death of James Scobie) Interview of Governor Sir Charles Hotham about the fight at the Eureka Stockade What caused the problem that has led to the fight yesterday' It was when James Scobie, a drunk miner who got killed by some troopers outside the Eureka Hotel the other day. After the news has been spread across Victoria, I, as the Governor of Victoria, forced the gold miners to pay money for a licence to mine for gold. Did you have a meeting or anything with the Ballarat diggers about this event' Yes. On the 17th of November, I have announced that I will be holding a royal commission, but the date was not confirmed at that time. I Then had a meeting with the Ballarat gold diggers about the events, but did nothing useful. Why the meeting did nothing useful' Because the Ballarat gold diggers said the main thing they want me to do is to completely get rid of the mining licences. Also what about the improvements of services from the government, voting rights and political presentation for themselves. I reckon that there is no right for me to do anything about it because there are not even problems for them. How much is the licence fee' The Licence fee costs 30 shillings a month