15 September 1865

EXTRACTING GOLD FROM SULPHIDES.

Experience derived in Colorado, in connection with the separation of gold from sulphurets, appears to prove beyond question that this class of ore may, with care and judgment, be successfully and profit bly treated

The essential conditions to the successful roastinig or desulphurisation of sulphurcts aro the presenco of heat and oxygen

If tho heat be intense, and the particles of oro well distributed, so that they can freely absorb oxygen from the sur- rounding atmosphere, then roasting will be speody and complete With the appliances heretofore in use, these conditions could not be fultillcd 1 ho oro being exposed in mass would, upon a slight excess of heat, meit, thus almost excluding the action of oxygen, owing to the small surfaco exposed

In this case it is necessary to withdraw from the furnace the melted charge and ro-gnnd it, so as to expose a greater surface By the Keith process, which is as «implo as ingenious, thero is a maximum exposure of tho ore, every particle of which is de- sulphurised almost instantaneously as fast as it is introduced into the furnace 1 hough but little bo under treatment at any single moment, tho process is continuous, so that largo quantities of ore can be roasted in a remarkably short time

Tho principles involved in this process are identical with thoso belonging to the use of tho chemist’s blow-pipe and lamp Imagine, then, a huco blow-pipe, with a noF./le six or eight inchCB in diameter, discharging a contmuous stream of air and pulverised pyrites into a Hame of a foot or moro in diameter , now, enclose this Hame in a horizontal or inclined flue connected with collecting chambers and chimney, and the reader will hav e a good general idea of the process and apparatus

The furnace used at one of the Colorado mills is thus described -At one end of a horizontal flue, twenty feet long and four feet m diameter, with an arched roof constructed of brick, is intro- duced a shorter flue or pipe, about four feet long and twenty mches in diameter, the flame from the fire-place enters this shorter flue from tho under side, through a properly-constructed opening, technically termed a “bull’s eye” Ihe pulverised oro is introduced into the furnace by means of a fan blow cr, the pipe of which carnes a continuous cur , rent of air containing the fine particles of ore diffused through it, into the end of the smaller flue, so that the an and ore aro passed directly into and, with the flame

In this condition many kinds of ore are combustiblo, burnli g with nn intense heat, filling the larger flue with a Haine consisting merely of the particles of oro in an mcondcttcnt state Through the walls of this larger flue small holes aro placed at proper distances calculated to admit air the oxy gen of which supports the combustion Hie flu« is connected with “col- lecting chambers,” the construction of which is suit- able tor the purpose of settling and collecting as much of the desulphurised ore as possiblo

From these chambers an inclined chimney is built upon the lull, serving the double purpose of creating proper draught ior the furnace and carrying away the ucid«, gases, and other volatile products arising from the combustion of the ore The heat furnished by the burning fuel

and the burning ore is sufficient to meit the panicles of gold present, and, as they are meltod while m suspension, every particle assumes a globular hhnpe lins is a very important item, as particles of gold of that shape arc not so liable to rem un un- touched by the quicksilver as when in a leaty form 1 he consumption of fuel is very small, being about a cord of wood ni twmty-four hours, during winch time fiom 25 tons to 30 tons of pyrites are desulphurised lins small consumption of iuel is cosily accounted for when wo remember that the ore in the conditions of Hie treatment becomes fuel itself, which binning assists ¡n furnishing heat to meit and ignite the particles of ore immediately following Ihe desulphurised ore is well scoured wah burr stones, and then treated by amalgamation, or by shaking tables of peculiai though eunplc construction -Dicka’s Mining ltccoid

3 October 1865

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF EXTRACTING GOLD FROM ITS ORE. (From the Chemist and Druggist.)

The very simple metallurgy of gold is no doubt already well known to most of our readers.

It consists either in mechanically picking up such pieces of the king of metals as are large enough to be seen and handled ;

in washing away the lighter portions of the crushed ore, leaving the metal behind in the form or dust ; or, in the case of the heaviest ores, in crushing them to fine powder beneath powerful stamps, and agitating the linely-divided matrix with mercury, which dissolves the gold out in the form of an amalgam.

The mercury is then distilled off and used again, and the gold remains behind in the metallic form.

The process of amalgamation has been carried on with great success in various parts of the world with ores yielding as little as half an ounce of gold per ton, wherever those plagues of the metallurgist, sulphur and arsenic, are not present.

Whenever either of these elements exist in an ore-and this is the case with by far the larger proportion of gold- ores–they have the effect of tarnishing or “sickemng” the mercury, as the miners call it, the consequence being that a large percentage of the gold in the ore is unacted on and lost.

The loss of gold from this cause is very great, varying from 30 to 87 per cent, of the metal present. In some experiments by Readwin (one of the first authorities on the subject, 2 cwt.of rich Clogau quartz gave hardly any gold by the ordinary process, no less than ten ounces of gold remaining untouched in the tailings.

On this account it has been found impossible to work several even of the richest mines. In practice, too, there are several well known cases where grains of gold were visible in the quartz, and little or none was extracted by amalgamation. Not only is there great waste of gold by the ordinary process, but the “sickening” of the mercury causes it to “flour” or break up into minute particles, which will not again unite and flow away in the wash water.

The loss of mercury by “flouring” forms a very considerable item in the cost of extracting the precious metal, even when the ore is comparatively rich. Numerous metallurgists and chemists have hitherto , j- sought for a remedy for these evils, but without suc- cess, and it has remained for Mr. W. Crookes, F.R.S., the talented editor of our scientific contemporary, the Chemical News, to discover a cheap and simple anti- dote to the deleterious effects of sulphur and arsenic in gold amalgamation.

This gentleman has proved himself one of the first scientific chemists of the day by his discovery of the metallic element thallium, and ?will now, in addition, render his name equally famous amongst practical metallurgists, by his method of amalgamation of gold and silver ores.

The process he employs is just one of those simple expedients that are arrived at only after infinite toil and trouble, and which, when they are discovered, make us wonder why they were never thought of before. Mr. Crookes effects Ms cure for “sickening” and “ flouring “ by adding to the mercury a certain por- tion of metallic sodium.

The action, of course, is per- fectly clear to the meiest chemical tyro. The metal deoxidizes and desulphurizes the panicles of mercury, allowing them to run together into untarnished masses, capable of dissolving every particle of gold or silver contained in the ore.

Through the kindness of Mr. Crookes, we have been permitted to be present at several most interesting experiments on the power of sodium in restoring mercury to its primitive condi- tion. “Want of space compels us to limit a selection to the two following. An ounce of mercury was shaken up with water Strongly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen.

After a short time, the metal broke up into particles of the size of a pin’s head, and refused to coalesce.

The addition of a piece of sodium amalgam, the si/.e of o pin’s point, caused chem to run together into masses the size of peas ; and a second portion of the same sLce completed the purification of the mercury, the globules rushing together instantaneously, the dirty cloud clearing away from the surface of the metal as if by magic.

Two and a-half grains of gold were triturated for two hours with 10,000 grains of silver sand, and 100 grains of mercury, and 1000 grains of copper pyrites. ‘1 he amount of gold recovered was less than 50 per cent. The same experiment was repeated with the addition of sodium to the mer- cury, which increased the percentage of gold recovered from 50 to over 90 per cent. , ,

The importance of this discovery in relation to gold mining can hardly be over-estimated. In different parts of the world, the British Isles included, there exist millions of tons of gold quartz utterly unwork- able on account of the presence of pyrites in one form or another.

In Wales alone it is estimated that at the -i present time there are lying waste no less than three millions of tons of gold ore that may be profitably .worked by Mr. Crooke’s process, to say nothing of the mountains of the same material still remaining untouched. In conclusion, we wish Mr. Crookes the success ho deserves in reaping the fruits of his valuable discovery, and beg to return him our sincere thanks for the kind way in which he has admitted us continually to his laboratory during the progress of his experiments, and has placed even his private note-book at our disposal.

18 February 1865

OUR GOLD-FIELDS.

THE news from the goldfields has been more than ordinarily sparse during the past month, and what little there is is devoid of interest.

There is one consolation that, although intelligence is scarce, the yield of gold keeps up its average, there being no spécial falling-off in any direction.

THE WESTERN GOLD-FIELD.

From the Wentworth mines at Lucknow we learn that gold has been struck on the new alluvial diggings on the Chapel Hill ;

only a small indication was at first discernible, but on bottoming the shaft (now upwards of 100 feet down), the prospects are considered quite satisfactory.

In the Greek’s block claim, to the east- ward of Chapel Hill claim, they have already driven 150 feet in a westerly direction and are getting excel- lent stuff. This alluvial lead will effect a very beneficial change, as there ia greater certainty of procuring gold than in the old sinkings.

Many have registered for claims,! and nearly half a mile is’already taken up, but until the ground is properly marked out they will not set on to open it up.

The Golden Point have dropped onto rich stuff. A sample of conglomerated quartz-stone has been exhibited by the proprietors, of remarkable richness-streaks of the precious metal are apparent throughout-indicating a lode of extra- ordinary richness ; the shaft now being paddocked is very lieh, and likely to produce when crushed seme sixty or seventy ounces to the load.

On the whole, things have a cheering aspect, and the diggers are very sanguine of the future. Some new ground ia being purchased about half-way between here and Onnge.

Gold, it is said, has been found on the surface, but not in any large quantity. A shaft is norn being sunk with a view of testing the ground.

Ä telegram from Tambaroora informs,us that forty five tons of quartz from the Perseverance claim, John sen’s Reef, have realised, when crushed, an average of two ounces of gold to the ton.

Our Forbes correspondent, in writing upon the Lachlan Gold-field, says :-The golden record of this field is, from the force of circumstances, a very brief one, and, when written, does not possess a very lively interest. The yield now got in this neighbour- hood is principally the re-washings of tailings, and the sludge of puddling machines, at which occupation a number of men are making fair wages.

A new claim has been token up on the deserted Southern Cross Lead, near the foot-bridge across the lagoon. Pay- able gold, it is said, was formerly got upon the same spot, and the ptesent party are determined upon try- ing their luck.

The Oriental Company have nearly bottomed their claim ; information, in fact, of the re . suits, is hourly expected, and whatever they may be, they will to a very considerable extent decide the for- tunes of this portion of the Lachlan Gold-fields. ‘The crushing machines forwarded to the Pinnacle have now been for sometime past erected and at work, but the results of the crusnings have not been of a very reassuring character, the yield of the auriferous quartz by no means realising the too ardent hopes entertained of them. Where two ounces to three ounces per ton were expected an ounce and a fraction has frequently been obtained. There are those con- nected with the place, however, who still continue sanguine, notwithstanding this temporary blight of their expect« tions.

Ihe Billabong appears to be in very nearly a stationary state, or perhaps rather inclined towards decline. One of the engines, with ita accompanying machinery, is about to leave the field, it is said, for the Pinnacle. The stone from No. 2 Bushman’s is, at present yielding something upwards of an ounce to the ton, and the shareholders eontinue as quarrel- some. A new and payable reef has lately been dis covert d within a mile of the township, of which some hopt s are entertained.

THE SOUTHERN GOLD-TIELDS. From Albury, we ‘have a brief announcement by telegram of the discovery of new alluvial diggings in the -vicinity of the township. Particulars have not yet ccme to hand. The Braidwood diggings continue to yield steadily, but the Nerrigundah gold-field has not turned out so prolific in its yield sa the sanguine hopes of the miners had led them to anticipate.

21 March 1865

OUR GOLD-FIELDS.

NOTHING could well be more dull and unpromising than the prospects of our gold-fields during the past few months. T

here have been several new rushes, but all of them have proved unpayable, or, in digging parlance, “duffers.”

Just at the present time the diggers are also suffering from a scarcity of water, and tins, with the want of new ground on which to operate, has necessarily caused a great stagnation of business on the mines.

As regards the Wentworth mines at.Lucknow at- tention is being called to the necessity for the intro- duction of machinery there, to a yery much larger extent than at present.

The proper development of these mines is no doubt of the very last importance to this district, yet still, in spite of the large finds, there has been uniformly manifested, an indisposition to invest any portion of the proceeds in machinery, that would save a very large amount of the manual labour now expended on the ground.

As a natural consequence, the linds have been irregular and uncertain, when had steam ma- chinery been employed, the products xvouldhe not only considerably increased, but a fateady yield could also be relied upon.

The question, however, has now been publicly mooted, and as the advantages to be derived irom machinery ore so manifest, there is a probability that some of the more energetic amongst the claim holders may before long be led to demonstrate it by actual experience.

THE WESTERN GOLD-FIELDS.

From the Billibong and Pinnacle we leam that quartz-reefing has almost censed to exist there as an occupation, and that the population is leaving as fast as it can. At the first-named place, two of the engines are at a standstill for xvant of xvater, and a third is about to be removed to the Pinnacle, to some spot xvhere water is abundant.

The only engine at present on the Pinnacle has long been idle for xvant of xvhat penny-a-liners are in the habit of calling the “necessary element.” The fourth engine, at the Billibong, xvhich happens to be fax’ourably situated as regards xvater, hopes, so to speak, for pretty steady occupation.

No. 2 Busliman’s, of tlie richness of which so much has been said and xvritten, has faded away into unprofitableness, the last crushings yielding but very unsatisfactory results.

For some time past, quartz has been carted from the Pinnacle to the Alliance Company’s engine, and report speaks of the yield in glowing terms ; as much, in some cases, as four ounces to the ton having been obtained. Upon the xvhole, the reefs hereabouts have not answered the expectations of those adventurers xvho embarked their capital and enterprise in quartz-reefing ;

and hence the exodus which has gone far to depopulate the Billibong and the Pinnacle.

Of the Forbes gold-field little needs be said. Its pro- gress, or rather its decline, may be summed up in a few xvords – little gold getting – no prospecting. Forbes, in fact, may now depend upon its grass and not upon its gold, and any attempt to prop up its auriferous character must prox-e futile.

From the last reports received from the Wentworth mines, it appears that the production of the past fort- night has been X’ery moderate, although the golden holes are still turning out well, and shares as soon as offered, are bought up with the greatest avidity.

A share in the Golden Point (the owner having left for Germany with nearly £5000), xvas sold by him for £180, and changed hands during the past week at £547. This claim is still bringing up good dirt, which will be crushed as soon as the mill gets to work, it being noxv in a quiescent state for want of xvater. The crushing of the Shamrock’s seconds yielded X’ery poorly. The Uncle Tom are still raising good dirt.

In AValsh’s claim they have struck gold and expect a good crushing in a fexv weeks. In the Nov 1 claim, after two years’ labour, a new party have set on, and struck gold in the second xveek of their operations.

In the Homeward Bound they are driving for the lode on a lower level. Many of the claims are still suffer- ing from the influx of water. The alluvial claims are still yielding fairly. An interesting discovery has recently been made, the result of which has shewn that a kind of black sond found in considerable quantities on the Napo- leon Reef, near the Glanmire Estate, contains a large percentage not only of gold but of silver.

A sample weighing about 16 lbs. was sent to the Mint to be tested, and xvas found to contain :-Pure gold 111 oz. 10 dxvts. 9 grs. ; pure silver, 102 oz, ‘ 12 dvvts. and l8 grs. to the ton mt’ ore. Since this result has been made known, the most sanguine expectations have been raised.

THE SOUTHERN GOLD-FIELDS.

The Tumut Times reports having seen a splendid cake of retorted gold from the Garibaldi Reef at Middle Adelong, weighing 60¿ ounces, the produce of forty-three tons of quartz and casing, obtained v from the prospectors’ claim, and reduced at the Ne- vada machine.

Two or three small rushes have taken place lately at Young, and although none of them are x-ery exten sixe or very rich, all have turned out a little gold. The neighbourhoods of Spring and Stoney Creeks are still popular with the Burrangong miners.

A move- ment is_ on foot for working some long deserted ground in this neighbourhood, well known to contain gold ; and there is every prospect of a company being formed xvithin a month for the introduction of the necessary appliances.

The news from tlie Eurongilly rush is anything but promising. Nothing payable had been struck, except in the prospectors’ and another claim. There is a population of between 000 and 800 persons on the ground, and though the majority is sanguine of ulti- mate success, yet parties of knoxvn experience have pronounced it to be a failure. A

Vith regard to tho reef prospecting, two tons raised from a depth of thirty feet, had been crushed at Adelong, and returned 57 07s. 14 dvvts.

This result has caused some excitement there. From Araluen late accounts state that mining matters are progressing, the population being steadily at xv ork. Mr. Mackenzie, Examiner of Coal Fields for the Southern District, has xisited and reported upon the so called AVingecarribee Gold-field. This creek is a tributary of the Nepean, the ground being the detritus of the llaxvkesbury sandstone. The result of this gentleman’s examination has shown that no gold can exist here in anything like a payable quantity. The Rev. W. B.. Clarke has also expressed a similar opinion.

17 May 1865

THE GOLD AND GOLD-BEARING ROCKS OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

To the Editor of the Herald. Sir

-That the commercial prosperity of New South Wales has fluctuated with the yield of her gold-fields during tho last seven years is evident to the most casual observer.

Commencing with the year 1858, a steady inoreaso in tha production of gold, accompanied by a corresponding expan- sion of commercial enterprise, reached its climax in tho early part of 1863.

From that date a decline in tho valuó of tha returns from the gold districts has been gradually increasing up to the present nour, marked by a continual cry of bud times and a general depression of the mercantile interest.

Much of the disappointment and loss experienced by th» . mercantile community and the expenditure ot the Govern- ment in connection with the gold^-mining interest, might have been avoided if the circumstances connected with th* distribution of gold in this colony had been more carefully studied, and the probable value and extent of eaoh placer more correctly ascertained.

Before proceeding further, it may not be out of place t» attempt a rough sketch of tho gold-bearing formations, M that the question at issue may be more tunrersallf understood. .

Gold exists in chemical combination with tho constituent* of certain igneous rocks, chiefly hornblondic granites ana greenstones. This gold, under peculiar conditions o»* etancous with quartz, has been at remoto periods sublimate* into cracks and fissures in the superincumbent slates an* flagstones,-theso cracks and fissures having boon the? result of the same expansive forces that caused the subli- mation, thus forming auriferous quartz veins.

The formation of quartz veins, and the tilting and dis- turbance of the sedimentary formations (slates and shales), have occurred at various epochs and under various condi- tions. At one period the fissures then formed havo bee* filled with pure quartz ; at another, in the same locality« they have been ohargod with quartz in combination wirti fold, silver, copper, iron, sulphur, and other minerals’,, ut no vein has boen over discovered to be auriferotur throughout its entire course, as whether it is gold-bearing; or not will mainly depond upon the character of the sub- jacent rack over which, or through whioh, it has passet into tho slates.

Tho mass of slate rocks (lower silurian) resting upon th* igneous rocks that now form the main range of the colony, appears to have decreased in depth as it advanced to tho northward, and tho resistance offered to the upheaving forces, more particularly on the western side, must hava docrcased in proportion ; consequently in the Northern dis- tricts wo find moro ovidonce of local disturbance in that class of rocks than to the southward; that the ¿trata are moro tilted, fractured, and disjointedr the fissures narrower and shorter, and tho quartz vein* smaller and moro irregular in their course, add to this threads of auriferous quartz nianing ùt every direction amidst the broken strata.

I* many places tho slates have nearly disappeared, leaving no other eiridence of thoir former existence tham beds of sterile clay mingled with quartzose debris surround- ing baked or metamorphosed fragments that have withstood tho power of rain and storm,

The gold-bearing portion of the .most auriferous of th* quartz veins above described bears a very small proportion to their entire length ; and it is to the gradual wearing; away of the surface of the higher lands and the «low disin- tegration of the quartz-bearing slates by elemental aotiom that we are ¡ndobted for our alluvial deposits of gold.

That metal, being indestructible, will exist long after the perish- able rocks with which it was associated have been converted into clay. From the foregoing, it may be inferred that the area ami value of a patch of auriferous alluvium dopeuds upon tha extent and richness of those portions of neighbouriac , quartz veins amidst the lower Silurians that have bee* ‘ – broken up, upon tho condition and form of .tho surfac« – during the period of such destruction, and upon the local drainage, whether that water ha» been spread by numerous rills ever wide flat* subjects to periodical inundation, or concentrated i* one channel.

The heaviest portion of the gold supplied by a disintegrated quartz vein will lodge in hollows, or on gentle gradients or benches below its former site. Tha ghtcr particles will drift into the bed of any watercourse that may hoad from tho same locality, and by tho agency of that stream be dispersed in the alluvium of its bordering flats, decreasing in quantity and value as thoy recede from its sourco until thoy finally disappear.

The gold thus dis- ‘ tributcd may bo again redistributed by the general lowering of the surface, the deepening of the channels of streams, and an alteration in the system of drainage consequent ‘ upon the unequal disintegration of superficial rocks.

Tho outcrop of what may be designated the gold-gene- rating rocks in the mountainous districts of this colony, with the masses of the lower silurian series that still remain reposing upon their flanks, do not _ hold out a promiao of any »rory ex- tensive permanent gold-field, but there can be but, little doubt of the existence of numerous small placers that will bo discovered from time to time, and afford employ- ment to our gold mining population for many years.

Having written thus much with roforence to tho probable. extent ot the gold-fields of the colony, it remains now to be , considered how thoy can bo best rendered availablo so as to offer constant and profitable occupation to our miners.

It” is a truth taught to many by bitter experience that pros- pecting for new, or tho extension of old, gold-fields will not “ pay the individualsso engaged, consequently but few fields havo been opened since the excitement occasioned by tha first discoveries has passed away.

Gold ruining has now become a settled industry, and the miners seem to prefer a bare but sure subsistence on old ground to the risk attend- ing the 6eorch for new fields. Tho Chinese, ‘ who obtain moro than half the gold raised, in tho colony, ave also indisposed to become prospectors, and follow in the wako of European population.

And yot either European or Chinese will not hesitate to undertake a journey of a thousand miles to some now El Dorado, upon the fnith of inflated reports circulated by they know not whom. It is viith. this state of things we havo to deal ; our gold- . fields have proved of too much value to the entire com- munity to be either neglected or ignored.

Gold miinng is only second to the production of wool, insomuch as tho former is more precarious and fluctuating in its results ; it has hitherto employed a larger number of peoplo than the latter. By the census of 1861 it appears that whilo but four per cent, of the population aro employed in pastoral pursuits, over six per cent, are employed in mining.

Again, wo find that tüe yield of our various gold-fields, between the 1st January, 1858, and the 31st December, 1862, amounted to 1,891,795 ounces of gold, »vhich, at £3 15s. per ounce, is worth £7,094,231, nearly eight millions, whilo the value of tho wool expjrted within the samo period waa £6,355,116. *

But however important tho prosperity of the mining in- terest may bo to this colony, it should bo self-supporting, and those who make gold-mining thoir occupation should equally contributo to the discovery of new fields.

The duty upon gold is a mere commutation of a royalty due to the consolidated revenue, and the sura derived from the issuo of miners’ rights and business liconses is hardly Buffi cicnt to defray the cost of the manngoment of tho various gold districts. I would, therefore, suggest that the sum to be charged for miners’ rights and businoss licenses bo doubled, and that one half of the monoy so collected in eaoh gold district bo appropriated to prospecting purposes within that district, any surplus to be applied to tho con- struction of aqueducts »vhero necessary for the public benefit upon a gold-field.

This would compel tho Chinesa to con- tribute their quota towards the discovery of now gold-flolds and other public objects, of which thoy would ultimately derivo tho benefit ; and but fo»v professional minors would be found objecting to such an arrangement. GHNOME.

6 September 1865

RANDOM NOTES BY A WANDERING REPORTER

THE Orange district is as rich in minerals as any district in the colony. Gold, iron, copper, lead, and of course silver, have been found in various portions of it; whilst the oopper-producing country has been traced from the Canoblas easterly for a distance of thirty miles in a belt of ten or twelve miles in width.

Coal has not been struck in any quantity, but I was informed that a thin seam was found about twelve months back ; the locality, my informant, for reasons of his own, kept secret.

The discovery of coal, how- ever, is immaterial except in so far as the working of the iron is concerned, as the copper smelting is much more satisfactorily carried on with wood.

To begin, then, with the gold-fields of the Orange district ; and in that district I include, though, per- haps, not quite geographically correct in so doing,

The different diggings within the area of supervision of the Gold-fields Commissioner stationed at Stoney Creek.

Of these, the most important is the Went- worth gold-field, Lucknow, although it is on private land. The workings hitherto carried on have been on the side of hills rising up from the western edge of the Fredericks Valley.

This valley is bounded on either side by fine bold hills, and is cultivated very nearly continuously throughout its whole length; the work of the ploughman extentling in many cases up the sides of the hills, until they become too precipitous to allow of tillage.

The creek that runs through the valley joins itself to the Summerhill Creek close to Luck- now, being joined afterwards by the Blackman’s Swamp Cicek, running through Orange, and subse- quently by other tributaries, until it becomes the beautiful stream of water that washes the base of the lofty mountains of Ophir.

On the western side of the valley the hills are not so steep as on its eastern border, but rise up from the plain below more gradually, and reach to a less elevation. It is here then, as I said before, that the diggings are estab- lished. This land was proved to be auriferous many years back, in fact almost immediately after the dis- covery of Ophir.

The yield from the trial shaft was so satisfactory that the land was purchased by an English company – the Wentworth Gold Mining Company. ‘ The work was carried on by a manager, but somehow it gradually languished, until the land fell into the hands of the present owner, who, instead of working it privately, took the wiser course of throwing it open to the public.

The main road from Bathurst to Orange passes along the foot of the ridge upon which the line of claims is marked ; and border- ing the road on either side is the town, such as we always see springing up, no matter how out of the way the spot may be, wherever a body of diggers is assembled.

At the back, or westward of the township, and not fifty yards from the line of houses, is the rich lode of gold that has turned out so hand- somely. I use the term lode, because there is no other that is applicable to it. It is not found in narrow veins or gutters, nor mixed up with earth dirt, or flood , debris, as in alluvial sinkings, for although some may be washed out, by far the greater portion is found in ; the stones that form the greater part of the deposit, not in veins through the stone as is seen in quartz reefs, but forming a component part of the iron stone, and so intimately blended with it that break a stone in as small pieces as you will, you will always see the gold through the m0st minute of the fragments.

In many instances it has the appearance of being smeared upon the stone, and you could almost fancy that a person with very fine gold, or gold beater’s metal, had drawn his finger over, and left his mark upon it, and it is only when you try to wash or rub it off, that you find it is really an integral part of the stone.

These stones, with the accompanying wash dirt, of which they form the most valuable portion, are found at a depth of from 120 to 140 feet from the surface, lying between two vast rocks, in a reft or dyke that separates them. It is of course broader or narrower as this reft widens or contracts.

Into this main lode many small but rich tributary leaders are found to descend, sometimes coming down from the very surface of the ground, and hav- ing their inceptions actually in the roots of the grass ; sometimes commencing at different depths, but all finding their way after many turns and doubles into the main lode.

Some very curious cases have occurred, in which men in sinking their shaft have actually cut through a very rich auriferous leader without noticing it, on account of its proximity to the surface. As an instance of this I may mention that the Shamrock claim holders sunk their shaft to a depth of between 120 and 130 feet, fighting hard and work- ing night and day to keep down the water that came in on them on their getting a little below the 100 feet. Ultimately the water got the best of them and they had to give in.

Worik was given up, and the shaft was about to be abandoned until pumping machinery was procurable, when accidentally a rich leader almost on the surface, was found, and the party have had profitable employment for the last three months.

There is a precisely similar instance in the case of the Golden Point claim which I shall have to allude to further on. These leaders are very numerous as well as very rich, and, commencing as they do at different depths, enable the miners to make their work remune- rative whenever, as in the absence of machinery is often the case, the water, at the great depth to which they have to go, gets the best of them.

The wash dirt is of a very coarse character, and utterly unlike any wash that I have ever before seen, although it greatly resembles the descrip- tion given to me of the auriferous deposit hit upon in the Rise and Shine claim at Forbes. The gold-bearing stones, or ironstone clinkers, as the miners term them, and mixed up with some few quartz and other pebbles all very much water-worn, are headed in a rich dark chocolate-coloured alluvium.

The clinkers vary in size from the ordinary gravel pebbles to the largeness of a man’s fist, and are all richly studded with gold throughout. The alluvium contains only a very small proportion of the gold that is returned, whilst the most minute of the pebbles is rich with the valuable metal.

Thus the whole of the stuff is sent to the crushing-mill, and dirt and stones are promiscuously passed under the stampers, re- turning yields that in some cases seem almost to be fabulous.

From the description I have given of the gold-smeared appearance of the stones, you can fancy that the gold is very fine, and as it could only be saved hy means of quicksilver, there is this object gained in passing it through the stampers. The stones themselves, however, are often so small, or so thinly mixed with the alluvium, that to enable the stampers so do their work properly, large quantities of rough quartz, often as much as the washing-stuff itself, have to be mixed with it.

The first shaft put down was on what is now the Phecnix or Engine claim, but from the pros- pectors being unacquainted with the pecu- liar nature of the deposit, and from their looking for alluvial rather than lode gold, the claim, as I said before, gradually languished, and little or no good was done. The property then changed hands, and for some time little but surfacing was done, until in 1863 the Perseverance party, whilst sluicing the side of the hill for surface gold, struck one of the minor leaders I have referred to, and followed it down to the lode.

A large number of claims were now taken up along the line of the lode, and a most singular circumstance in connection with the lode is that the line of shafts that have struck the lode, and every one put down has done so, is perfectly straight, and running from north to south. Soon after the Perseverance had got upon the lode, the Homeward Bound, about one hundred yards distant, and in a straight line from the original shaft, also hit it.

This gave so much encouragement, that shaft after shaft was put down with varying individual success, but returning in the aggregate an immense mass of gold. I perhaps better understand the position of the field if I allude to each claim in the succession in which it comes. Commencing at the north end, the firrst claim on the gold is the Happy-go-Lucky, although there is a prospecting claim beyond this on the summit of the hill. No 2 is the Phonix, or Engine claim, pre- viously referred to.

It has been very rich, but just now is water-logged, not having been worked for some time past. No. 3, Kinghorn’s, never got upon the gold in any quantity, and is now given up. No.4, the Sawyer’s, has also been given up. It was a very rich claim, and is celebrated for having on one occa- sion given 5 lbs. weight of gold to a bucketful of stuff. However, the leader that had been such a mine to the shareholder suddenly closed on tkem, and they had not the fund s necessary for opening the rock and fol- lowing it down. No. 5, the Industry, has been a very good claim throughout, and their last crushing gave 800 oz. to about twenty loads of dirt.

It is still working and promises further dividends, from the leaders that are being struck in the shallow ground. Between the Homeward Bound and the Engine claim, the whole of the claims, No. 5 included, are unable to work at their lowest levels on account of the large quantity of water that comes in on them, and which it has been found impossible to beat without machinery.

Thus, such of the claims from No. 2 to Ne. 12 as keep on working, are engaged in looking for the leaders before alluded to, in the ground above the water level. No. 6, the Hard to Find, was very cor- rectly named by the shareholders, for they never got gold in any quantity, not even to a payable extent. No. 7, the Perseverance, has been a good payable claim from the time of its being first opened.

It is still working. No. 8, the Uncle Tom, has been an excellent claim, and has turned out a very large amount of gold. It has been frequently troubled with the ingress of water, being the lowest claim in the dip of two shoulders of the main ridge, and procured an engine to keep the water down. The engine, however, was only of 6-horse power, and was too small to make any impression upon the-underground stream. The shareholders are now in treaty with the proprietor of the ground for the employment of a large engine capable of keeping the whole of these lower claims clear of water.

When the engine is erected it has been arranged that all those who derive a benefit from the work will be assessed towards payment of the costs. In this matter the proprietor of the land has acted very liberally. The charge now made for mining is £1 per month, and he purposes to put up an engine powerful enough to keep the water down, on a payment by those bene- fiting by the pumping of 30s. per month in place of the present 20s. No. 9, the John Bull, has not been anything in particular, and is now amalgamated with the Uncle Tom. No. 10, the Baker’s, and No. 11, the Alpha, have both been given up; the parties working in them never got gold enough to buy salt to their porridge. No. 12, the Homeward Bound, has been a very rich claim indeed – one crushing of only 20 tons gave 1059 ounces.

It is still working. No. 13, the Undaunted, and No 14, Devlin’s, have been amalga- mated and are still working, although they have obtained no gold as yet. No. 15, the Golden Point, has proved a wonderfully rich claim, something like 700 lbs. weight of gold having been taken out of it.

At one of the ciushings from this claim twenty loads of stuff gave the remarkable return of 3416 oz., or over 170 oz. to the ton. A rather remarkable thing about this claim was that the shareholders had worked and spent their money during twelve months without the slightest return, and without any prospect of any. They then held a meeting for the purpose of deciding whether it should be given up or not.

They decided to give it another month’s trial, and then a leader was struck, which they traced up to within twenty feet of the surface, where they might have had it within a week of their first opening ground. No. 16, the United Miners, or better known as Spicer’s claim, has been a very good one. Whilst I was at the Wentworth I saw a crushing of sixteen loads which gave over 900 oz., whilst forty-five loads of seconds or refuse stuff gave an ounce to the load, or, to- gether, 950 oz. gold. No. 17, the Morning Star, as was amusingly remarked by a miner, has not yet risen.

The shareholders have had a little gold out of the claim, but not much. No. l8, the Golden Gate, has had two very good crushings, one of over 1000 oz. from thirty tons. No. 19, the Shamrock, has been a very good claim all down. They were, however, ultimately beaten by the water when they came to the surface and got some small rich leaders that are paying handsomely. No. 20, the Crinoline, is only a small claim, having sixty feet frontage to the lode, or three men’s ground, but it has been an extra- ordinary one for the yield of gold. The shareholders have always been able to raise a crushing within a reasonable time, with a good yield to the load. Their lost crushing prior to my visit gave 105 oz. to ten tons. No. 21, the Albion, has only had one crushing. It went well, though not so rich as some others, and turned out 200 oz. from fifteen loads of stuff. No. 22, Milburn’s pros- pecting claim, has had a little gold, but none of any consequence, and there are again some few claims be- yond this that haye had some prospects, though they have been given up for want of’ funds.

Besides these lode or frontage claims there is an alluvial lead running at right angles to them; along the hill known as Chapel Hill. Here, the sinking is something terrific, the depth being from 100 to 120 feet, the whole way, with the exception of some two or three feet at the surface, being through an immense mass of trap that overlies the bed of an old water course.

These claims are given out on the block sys- tem, or forty feet square to each man, and at the period of my visit, three claims were down upon the gold. There is a depth of from two feet to five feet of wash dirt, and the prospectors have taken out something like 1000 loads of dirt thut have returned them fully an ounce to the load. The dirt washed by the other two claims has given a rather higher average than this.

You will now obtain a better idea of the actual amount of gold realised from this field during the last eighteen months, from the following list of crushings at the Phoenix Mills. All the stuff raised passes through these mills, so that no better criterion as to results could be had than the return with which I have been so kindly favoured. Beginning February 20, 1864, or last year, there is the Homeward Bound, 45 tons, and giving 966 oz. ; April 20 : Uncle Tom, 250 tons, 1050 oz. ; April 29 : Perseverance, 90 tons, 378 oz. ; May 2 : Crinoline, 20 tons, 77 oz. ; May 4 : Spicer’s, 25 tons, 229 oz. ; Happy-go-Lucky, 21 tons, 42 oz. ; Shamrock, 42 tons, 165 oz. ; Homeward Bound, 20 tons, 1059 oz. ; Stewart’s, 10 tons, 16 oz.; Industry Rewarded, 28 tons, 448 oz. ; July 2 : Sham- rock, 15 tons, 370 oz. ; Spicer’s, 13 tons, 63 oz. ; Per- severance, l8 tons, 268 oz. ; Hard-to-Find, 4 tons, 87 oz. ; July 30 : Uncle Tom, 8 tons, 43 oz. ; August 3 : Golden Point, 37 tons, 270 oz. ; Golden Gate, 52 tons, 1250 oz. ; Perseverance, 25 tons, 532 oz. ; September 10 : United Miners (Spicer’s), 20 tons, 97 oz. ; Sep- tember 24 : Crinoline, 38 tons, 134 oz. ; October 12 : Perseverance, 27 tons, 106 oz. ; November 12 : Sham- rock, 50 tons, 214 oz. ; Uncle Tom, 38 tons, 113 oz. ; December 1 : Golden Gate, 43 tons, 271 oz. ; Parkin- son and Co., 13 tons, 53 oz. ; December 17 : Home- ward Bound, 25 tons, 108 oz. ; Crinoline, l8 tons, 94 oz. ; Golden Point, 27 tons, 1600 oz. ; Albion, 10 tons, 56 oz.; Golden Point, 36 tons, 3416 oz. ; Morning Star, 5 tons, 24 oz. ; January 11 : 1865. – Uncle Tom, 10 tons, 40 oz. ; March 1 : Shamrock, 60 tons, 175 oz. ; Golden Point, 30 tons, 1283 oz.’; March l8 : Albion, 4 tons, 17 oz. ; Undaunted, 6 tons, 39 oz. ; March 25: Uncle Tom, 20 tons, 80 oz. ; Sawyer’s, 22 tons, 71 oz. ; Chapel Hill (alluvial), 154 tons, 144 oz. ; May 6 : Spicer’s 20 tons, 905 oz. ; Golden Point, 20 tons, 1113 oz.; Uncle Tom, 20 tons, 160 oz. ; Homeward Bound, 7 tons, 60 oz. ; May 16 : Perseverance, 13 tons, 60 oz. ; Shamrock, 4 tons, 20 oz. ; Chapel Hill (alluvial), 103 tons, 100 oz. ; Albion, 15 tons, 140 oz. ; Industry, 10 tons, 800 oz. ; Chapel Hill (alluvial), 120 tons and 220 tons. 350oz.; Shamrock,17 tons 81 oz.; Chapel Hill, 176 tons, 180 oz , August 5: Crinoline, 11 tons, 103 0z. ; Angust 19: United Miners (Spicer’s), 16 tons and 15 tons, 950 0z.; Homeward Bound, 5 tons, 31 0z.; Chapel Hill (alluvial), 800 tons, 900oz.

These figures speak for themselves, and, with the list of the several chums I have given, tell the history of the succcess of the Wentworth better than any amount of disquisition. Mrs. Partington is in New York. She went up from Boston as soon as she learned by telegraph that “ gold was rapidly falling in Wall-street,” but after several unsuccessful attempts to get into the shower, is going back a disappointedl woman. “

11 September 1865

RANDOM NOTES BY A WANDERING REPORTER

Coming now to Stoney Creek, under which designation I would be understood to include the Ironbarks, Muckerawa, and Burrandong, as these three places almost join each other, so much so that it is diflicult to say where the Ironbarks cease, and where Mucke- rawa begins, or having reached Muckerawa beyond all possibility of doubt, to decide where it ends, and where Burrandong commences.

The Ironbarks have been long celebrated as a good poor man’s diggings, but of late the old ground that has been worked over and over again, that has been puddled and washed and washed and puddled until it becomes a wonder how any of it remains, has fairly given out, and more attention is being given to reefing than to alluvial sinking.

Even after the pug-mills had done their work so completely that it was thought that not another speck of gold was obtainable, a party owning a small engine set it to work upon the stones and pebbles thrown out of the pug-mill, crushed them, and got a return of some 9 dwts. to 10 dwts. to the load.

The diggers have spread themselves pretty well ever the whole extent of this country, and there is hardly a gully leading into Stoney Creek on the one side, or the Muckerawa Creek on the other, that has not been tested more or less.

One very remarkable thing, however, has been here that rich deposits of gold haye been found on the very apex of three or four high hills, known as the first, second, and third hills.

They are what is known as made hills ; and a party of Italians, very much to the astonishment of the diggers generally, who had no hesitation in affirming them to be a shingle’short, ‘ commenced sinking on the very top or apex Of the ? cone, and, what is more, struck gold in good payable quantities. The ground was of course rushed, but not one of the parties except the prospectors got sign Of the metal.

Another party thinking that if gold .was procurable on the apex of one hill, it might also be obtained on that of another, sank upon the point of the adjoining hill, and also got good wash dirt.j The .same thing occurred with the other hill, no claim but that sunk on the very crown of the hill getting gold. .

‘ At the Bald Hills, again, a number of parties are en- gaged in putting in tunnels into the hill side. One ‘ of these has gone in to a distance of about 600 feet The original prospectors have a very fine tunnel and struck a good bed of wash-dirt at between 200 and 300 feet, that gave somewhere about half-nn-ounce to the load.

One of the tunnels was driven through a Beam of coal about two inches in thickness, -being the first coal that has been found ‘ in this part of New South Wales. Twenty-eight < i claims have been granted for tunnels into the hill, the parties working them numbering from 4 to 6 men each. They are all very sanguine of Buccess and were working away with much energy when I was there.

At present the want of water is very severely felt, the long-continued drought having all but exhausted the meagre supply. In fact the whole of the Ironbarks is, very poorly supplied with water at the best of times, and in the most favourable seasons, since it is only by the crecticn of dams that anything like a sufficiency for washuig purposes could be obtained. Up to the ^prehcnt time three of the claims- have struck payable recently adopted turn out well, there is a very largo’ extent of country to which it may bo applied, as nearly’ ‘he whole of the hill« in the vicinity of that now being’ worked are made hills, with precisely the same generic features as the first.

The quartz reefs, however, are what the miners more particularly look to for a stand-by in the event of the alluvial sinking leaving thom iu the lurch. These extend over nearly tho whole of the country lying between Stoney Creek and the Macquarie, and may be seen cropping up in the ranges at every twenty or thirty yards. Hardly any of these have been tried without giving at the very least from 8 to 10 dwts. to the ton, an amount which, in the absence of powerful machinery, and with the cost of carriage, will not pay at present.

In fact, the reef« s turn up their noses at anything less than 15 dw ts. or an ounce to the ton. The crushing» generally have ranged from 15 dwts. to 2 oz., the latter being in exceptional cases. Fourteen tons of stone from the Specimen Hill reef gave aietum of 73 ox. 4 dwts., and 122 tons from the Splitter’s Gully reef gave 215 oz. 2 dwts.

At the Post-office reef, again, the stone hitherto crushed has averaged 2 oz. to the ton, and the parties have about 200 tons stone at grass without the means of crushing. Thore are only four engines on the ground. Of these, one is idle for want of water, but the owner has made a large dam on the main creek, and is about to remove his machinery in anticipation of the rain that does not seem inclined to full.

A second is too small for general purposes, and is principally used by the owner in crushing cement from the Bald Hills and in other minor work.

The third, that of Mr. Campbell, is fully em- ployed, though its capacity may be reckoned when I say that it cannot work up more than from thirty-five to forty tons of stone per week.

A fourth engine, recently brought here from the Billibong, is now in course of erection, and it is expected that when the three get to work with a supply of water, the price of crushing will come down, and allow the reefers a chance of making wages. At present, with the long distance they have to cart, the high price paid for crushing, and the delay before they can get their atone passed under the stampers, the men have everything against them, and cannot work with that amount of energy that is required for such arduous labour.

Then, again, the reef gold as compared with the alluvial gold is of a very low standord, being worth no more than about 65s. por oz., whilst the alluvial fetches 75s. per oz. The scarcity of water that has operated so unfavour- ably for the alluvial miners has, however, given a ehancc such as is seldom obtainable to the river workers, and the present yield of gold in this, as in other parts of the Western gold-fields, is mainly duo to the workings in the river beds.

The Macquarie, which usually, by the large body of water .that passes along its bed, offers an almost in- surmountable obstacle to the miner, is this year so low, that it is being worked for nearly a hundred and fifty miles of its course, by the Chinese principally, but also by Europeans. Hero some very extensive works may be seen in dams, water wheels, ] head and tail races, &e.; ; whilst some of the excava- tions going on in the bed, of what is usually a foaming river, struck me with astonishment, and I can assure you that I am not easily astonished, after having been down shafts and in tunnels of almost every kind and description.

The number of minera in this district is not far short of 2000. The miners’ rights actually issued up to the end of June have been-to British subjects 534, and to aliens 930, or 1464 altogether. The rights issued to aliens would give somewhere about the cor- ‘ rect number of foreigners at work, because, if they are caught mining without the license, they are liable to a fine of £6 ; but your true Briton don’t care a pin about the Commissioner, who can do nothing with him, and only takes out a miner’s right when he falls upon a good patch of ground that he is afraid may bo “jumped” from him.

Until ho has such a chance, or unless he is going in at some expensive work, he don’t trouble his head about the state of the Crown Lands revenue, and walks about independently and nods in the most monchnlant and patronising manner to the Commis- sioner, whom he knows to be a perfectly harmless official in so far as he is concerned.

In this way I should imagine that the number of miners’ rights issued to British subjects does not represent more than about the half of the British miners actually at work upon scattered fields, such as that of Stoney Creek. But putting the minors at 2000, the total population will not be more than 2500, including business people, children, &c;, as there is here a much less number of families than is usually found on diggings. The mining population of this field has fluctuated very considerably within the last few years.

In 18G2 it ranged from 100 to 150, whilst towards the mid He of 1S63 it ran up from 900 to 1100. In 1864 it fell back again and ranged between 600 and 900 ; whilst this year it is close upon 2000. In the same way the yield of the gold has been very varying. For the first six months of 1862, the yield wos only 1115 oz., and for the last six months 1800 oz.

In 1863, it was for the first six months 7342 oz. ; and for the last six mouths 12,259 oz., In 1864, it was for the first six months 9344 oz., and for the last six months 6174 oz. For the first six months of the present year the amount sent down by escort has been 7370 oz.

It would seem from this that the yield of gold ha8 not kept pace in its increase with the increase of the mining population, but it is only right that I should point out that a large number of these miners are Chinese, and that it is very difficult to account for the gold obtained by them, as they send it through so many and such devious channels that it is almost im- possible to trace it.

I do not myself believe that the half of the gold obtained by the Celestials is accounted for in the escorts at all, for though there are frequently Chinese consignors, they are entered for amounts very far below what their Celestial brethren have been known to raise. The Ironbarks is perhaps about the worst watered gold-field in the colony, and it is something that speaks loudly for the energy, enterprise, and perse- verance of the miners, that they have managed by the construction of dams to keep at work for so long a time upon so unpromising a country. ¡

16 August 1865

RANDOM NOTES BY A WANDERING REPORTER

The town of Young shows many signs of having improved since my last visit, two years ago. A very handsome church has been erected for the Church af England lesidents, being without exception one of the piettiest little edifices that I have seen in any of my rambles.

It has been built mainly from funds fur- nished by Mrs. Wilkie, widow of the late Captain “Wilkie, of the 13th Regiment, who died very suddenly whilst the troops were at Lambing Flat ; the residents . of the town having subscribed the balanceof the money.

It is intended for a memorial Church fer the late officer, and beers tablets te that effect. The kiterior has a remaikably fine appearance; the supports of the roof, formi»g a kind ot Gothic arch, being of pine, and polished, give a finished look that is w-aivtin«‘ iii the” roofs of most churches.

-The Weslevan« are also building a fine laige brick church, capable of holding two or three hundred worshippers ; and the Oriental ‘ [ and Commcicial Banks have tine buildings in which to conduct their business.

Many of tile old houses j . have »Vso been pulled down, ,nd tiic- m-Umali carried ‘ I j array, so that the towit lias now a mow settled anl j bosinosa’look than it liad’ in the’ old days .of canvas i and calico.’’

The trade of the place has gradually con- _ j tracted itself into the ordinary’and legitimate chati- “ nels, and though not so large as it was formerly,”-w’ I more steady, and promises to be more enduring.

IN relation to gold mining around the town there is every reason to believe that these wet leads would pay handsomely if they could be leased out in _ i large areas’, not morely .from the gold procured in’sink- ‘ i ing, but also from ¿he large amount oí water that could ¡be raised and made’applicable to sluicing purposes. ;

Tt has often been rcmarlccd by the late Mr. llux, for . merly your lambing, Flat correspondent, that the. j whole of the ground on. the Main Cheek would pay for ». sluicing could a sufficient supply of water be procured, ii have before endoised this opinion-from personal j observations made some two yeais back when I visited ‘ this gold-iield.

I am of the same opinión now, being j fortibed in it by the. actual experience» of some of the i poorer miners, -who for months past have been making ! their living, a poor one certainly, by washing up the old stuff about the Main Creek.

With a good supply ! , of w ater to capacious sluice boxes, an immense amount ‘ ‘ of the light soil of which the greater part of these dig- gings consist, might . be passed through, and that which gave a j poor living to the ‘ miner working slowly by hand, and with a- limited quantity- of water;, would ‘give, a yield large enough to -pay all the expenses of the raa-i | chinery and the works^ leaving the chanceof the gold’ ‘-obtained in sinking as a net profit to the spccu-> ! lator. ‘ ‘ ‘

”It’has been detided, however, that1 this is not to be/ and .the1 same kind of dog-in-the-manger policy that has” shut out the capitalist in favour of the poor man’ who confessedly can do nothing, is also still ‘directed I to the unfortunate Chinese, who are ‘most religiously | excluded from the now all but deserted rushes te the » eastward-of the town, although it is well «known and ! acknowledged that Europeans cannot make a decent ! living oa them.

The number of miners I have esti-1 1 mated for the six rushes, the 7, 10j’-12,- U, 16, and 17’ , miles, is overstated rather than understated, since at the most you will not see more than four or five huts at the outside on any one of them.

And to give ‘ you an idea of the actual state of affairs, 1 will men-, tion what occurred to myself when visiting the 12 ‘ mile rush. I called at the store, forthere does happen ‘ , to be a storejit this favoured spot, and after some conversation with the storekeeper, I asked hinu how many diggers; there were on the rush.”

His answer was “ not many now, for they arc nearly all off to the Bathurst’ rush.” ‘ From this answer and the manner in which it was given, I was i led to imagine that at least a hundred men had thus gone oft’, and had depopulated the place ; but to make sure 1 inquired, “ How many are left : “ Ile replied, “ There are only four left, but before the rush there were’thirteen.” So that there had actually been a rush of nine out of thirteen diggers from the Twelve Mile. And it is the same with the other rushes just enumerated.

But although the ground will not pay tlie Europeans, the Chinese would be quite satisfied to work it, as they are contented to work for much less than their white neighbours. The advantage to the district would be very great, because if this ground were open to them, some five or six thousand Chinese’ would be placed upon “it before three months were over, the return of gold for the district would be pro- portionately increased, and what I regard as the chief, advantage of aU, the giound would be at once defi- nitely worked over, and would revert to some useful purpose of grazing sr cultivation instead of being left, as now, in a state of abeyance, unused, except by I some few straggling workers, and altogether valueless either as a gold, grass, or grain producing country.

, Nothing, however, seems to be able to allay the animosity that exists amongst certain sections of .the miners towards the Chinese. This ill feeling liad died away to a very considerable extent, ahd_ would have expued altogether long before this, were it not for the exertions ot the little band of restless agitators who can only make themselves prominent by keeping the community in a ferment.

Like the dregs that lie at the bottom of the wash when in a state of repose but rise in a scum to the surface during the process of fermentation, these men dread social peace and quiet- ness, for they know that these will consign them to the original’deptlis from which they ought never to have emerged.

Your attention has been more than once called to the peisevering industry of the Chinese in different parts of the colony, and to the success that has uniformly attended their horticultural enterprise.

The Celestials of Lambing Flat have not been behind their brethren in other districts, as for the last threq^ years they, have not only supplied Young w-ifB vegetables that its townsfolk would never htáj had but for the despised Chinese, but tlrc^ have even sent loads of cabbages to Yass, and even’ to Goulburn.

Their, gardens occupy some eight or ten aérese of ground on the borders ot Spiing Cieek, and are the Ten- picture of persevering and untiring industry. The men who have taken up these gardens are not engaged in gold mining, and do not in any way come into competition with the Europeans.

At the same time they supply them at a very cheap rate with vegetable delicacies that would not be seen on the ground but for them. You would think, then, that these few poor, hard- working men would be left in peace. But no ; the friends of the people are enthusiasts of the first water, and would burn, slay, and exterminate to. the very last of the pig-tailed race ; and, in the absence of any other exciting employment, in the shapeof grievance or public meeting, a descent is occasionally made upon these Chinese gardens. .

A doyen or twenty of the most truculent bullies are selected, the gardens are rushed, claims are pegged out, a few holes are commenced, just sufficient te upset poor John’s labour for the preceding three months ; plants are trodden doyra, the garden is turned into a complete wreck, and then only are the fine feelings of the [ destroyers soothed; their work is done, and they leave the giound that they had never for a moment [ dreamt of sinking on.

This has been done, not once, in a moment of angry excitement, but several times, calmly and deliberately, in order, as it was observed, “ te carry out the anti-Chinese principle,” and any tiling i more brutal or cowardly cannot well be conceived.

If he has done nothing else for the dis- trict, John Chinaman has at least shown unmistak- ably the capabilities of the soil, and the ease with which, by a little care and attention, this may be made one of the finest producing districts of Hie colony.1 * ‘ lu.has been known for very many years past that hundreds of square miles in close proximity to, as . well as upon the Burrangong gold-fields, are amongst the very finest wheat lands of New South AVales, but the capa- bilities of the soil, though they may have been sus- pected, vveie never tested.

The Chinese venture has led to others, and many products never before dreamt of, have been tried here. Cereals of all descriptions have been found to flourish here, and I was’shewn samples of tobacco and cotton grown on land within a mile or two of Young.

That it will before very long be one of the most prolific ‘agricultural areas of the colony no one,doubts; but,”in the mean time, being within a proclaimed gold-tield, the land cannot be selected. Nor, in fact, would it be right that it should be so, so long as any gold remains in the soil, since Selections would but too often be made not for culti- vation but for auriferous speculation.

The best way then wótild be to get the geld producing ground -worked over as quickly as possible, and this could soon be done by throwing it open to the Chinese. ‘A year or two would see it worked out, at all events “within two or three miles of the town, and then this gold exhausted .area could be thrown epen to the selector, at least in so far as the restriction as to dis ‘tance would permit.

Once get a permanent and settled population on the spot, whose interests will be in advance of the distriot, and there may be some hope that the reign of the agitators will be at an end. That they have been the ruin of this field none whti I knows its history can doubt ; and that Ey their ultra-democratic and levelling principles ‘they continue to keep it down at the depth to which they have brought it, is equally unquestionable.

“Every guard against the admission ol’ the capitalist that ade or’.regulation can provide has been pertina- ciously raised around the Held, and the suspicion with which men ev en of limited means regard the tyránni ‘cal clique of demagogues that nile so absolutely may be gathered from ths fact chat there is not even one solitary engine employed over the wide extended area fof the Burrangong gold-fields. . c ‘

25 October 1865

THE CHINESE AND THE BURRANGONG GOLD-FIELDS.

To the Editor of the Herald.

Sir,,-Although of paramount importance in the present depressed state of these gold-fields, the Chinese question no longer appears to give either tradesmen or digger the least concern.

To the latter portion of the community I may venture to say it is a matter of no consequence whethor tho Chinese aro allowed to work freely on the diggings or not.

Yet to the tradesman it is a matter of great consequence, as I will endeavour to show boforo finishing this letter. I must first tell you that four months ago I was as much opposed to tho Chinese being admitted on tho diggings as it is possible that any person could bo ; and, although I never joined any of the onti-Chinose associations that were estab- lished in this town, still no member of any of these associations was moro embittered against them than I havo been.

But time, which changes all things, has changed my opinion on this question.

Therefore I new fearlessly and publicly say that that Jaw which prohibits the Chinese from working on the diggings the some as other people is not only cruel but inhuman. I shall now tell you my reason for becoming their advo- cate.

I was sitting at dinner with roy mother one day, in Yass, when a knock carne to tho door and, upon opening it, I saw four miserable looking Chinamen, who oskod for some dinner, because they wero hungry.

At that time I was opposed to the Chinese, and I replied, “ No savvee, John.” They again entreated most earnestly for something to cat, but my hatred to their race was so bitter that I was about closing the door ogoinst thein, when my mother checked me and said, “ thoy com- plain of being hungry, and charity knows no distinction.” 1 then, at her request, gave them sonio dinner, and shortly afterwards went out fora walk, when I again saw them out- side tho hospital eating some more food thoy had received at that institution.

I went up and asked one of them which diggings they had come from, and whero thoy were going to. He replied, “ that the Englishmen at Lambing Flat I had given them two month« in Yaw gaol, for working over the boundary, and that thoy had just come _ on! of gfil, and hod no money to buy their dinners, nor friends to givo them any.”

It was at that moment I became n convert, to tho free working of Chincso on the diggings, I never bo’ hi Id n more pitiable sight than thoBe four Chin>inien. J

ust, picture to yourself, Mr. Editor, what your feelings would hove been had j ou seen theso poor fellows, thousands of miles away from their own native home, hero in ii foreign lund, sent to prison for trying to earn an honest living, and then driven from that same prison homeless, penniless, and hungry, begging a meal of victuals from any person dis- posed to give it.

Well might these Chinamen have ex- claimed, “ Sweet is the Boil of our fatherland.” Callous indeed must the heart of that man’be which would not bo moved at seeing a human being-a fellow-creature-a creature created with himself by the one and some God-in such a condition of mißery. And I will now ask, who is it that keeps tho ChineBo in such humble submission ? Is ijt the Government of the land, or a handful’ of diggers ? Common sense tells me it is tho Government-this same Government that rejoices in being termed the most liberal in the world.

Is there anything on record se doggish, so Belfish, and altogether so unchristianlike as , the ticatment the Chinese receive by the very orders of our so-called Liberal Ministry. I will now refer to the manner in which a certain portion of the Irish were treated in tholost century.

If my memory serves mo rightly, Ireland was the most famous nation in the world in the year 1796 for her woollens. She could manufacture woollens and sell them in England far cheaper than tho English could sell their own woollens.

Tho manufacturers in England were so annoyed at this that they asked the Parliament to draw up a petition to tho King, requesting him to impose a tax on Irish woollens. This ho did to the amount of 4s. a yard, and when this did not stay the production of bettor woollens from Ireland, the -King, at a later period, by the request of the same Parliament, stayed the factories in Ireland altogether.

Thus, then, can the Europeans pf Burrangong be compared to the English manufacturers of that day. Tho Europeans hore cannot ‘ procure the gold themselves, but they prevent, the Chinese from trying to get it. Let mo make one more reference in substantiation of tho selfishness of, I muet say, only a fow of the non bona fide diggers of Young. There was once a meeting in Yass to collect funds in aid of the Donegal Relief Fund, at which a gentleman made a speech, a portion of which was, “Young Australians, judging more from the promptings of their own generous hearts than the stern realities of facts, cannot comprehend how, under the British Government, man can hold property in man as does fur instance my Lord Leitrim, and evon interdict to starving hundreds a mouthful of seaweed.”

Truly might these words bo applied to tho diggers of Young. Thoy I hold hero au immense aroa of land which they cannot work j to poy themselves, and yet they prevent the Chinese from earning a mouthful to eat upon it.

I think upon tho whole tho law that prohibits the Chinese from working freely over theso diggings is a law directly contrary to the ordinances of the Almighty, for He has commanded that all men should corn their living by the Bweot of their brow. Having now given my reasons for thinking the Chinese should be allowed on the diggings, I shall refer to why it is a matter of great concern to the traders that they sheuld bo allowed here ; and I think that I will be able to show that it is not only the traders who would derivo a great benefit by their admission here, but also tho revenue.

In the first place, thon, if the Act prohibiting their working here was repealed, I estimate tho number of Chinese that would come to Young from the sister colonies at 15,000, and as I have an experience of eleven years amongst them, I think I can safely calculate that thoy upon on average would spend annually £30 a man, which would amount to the decent sum of £450,000 ; consequently the town itself is deprived of nearly half a million of money in the year’ by their non-admission to it.

It is not one or two stores that might receive the benefit of this money, but every trader in tho town, storekeeper, blacksmith, butcher, bootmaker, baker, publican, and even the laundress. Then, if this is not a consideration to tho trader, I must certainly say it is not to me. Now, with regard to the revenue, there wonld be £8000 at once for licenses, and allowing that on an averago each Chinaman only got two dwte. of gold in the week that would be 1500 oz., and tho escort clinrgo and Mint foes would amount on that quantity of gold to £6250 in the year, and to arrive at a fair conclusion at the duty to be derived from the £450,000,

1 will deduct 10 per rent, from it, which will leavo £45.000, and this added to the other two items will make a total loss at the present time to ¡the revenue in the year of £59,250. Allow mc to remark, in conclusion, that suuuthing is wanted to’bring old times to our minds, and it is better to seo our streets üned with some sor* of people than nene stall. I am, Sir, yours &c;, HUMANITY.

21 December 1865

THE GOLD MINES.

Little news of interest from any of our goldfields just at the present time. The recent rains have given a fresh impetus to alluvial digging in the west, and a nuning population is gathering about tho Meroo and the Turon. At the Pyramul Creek a nugget weighing 40 oz has been lound upon Cow 1 lut bj i luck) miner At Yv attie 1 lut, a new reef, said to be very rich, lins just been discovered, and will be w orked at once

Vtry little is doing on the lode at the Wentvv orth diggings, Lucknow, though the alluvial vvoikings appear more promising than they have donc loi some time past

Very little work is doing lieie just at |iresent Between three hundred mid lour hundred men are working at the Glanmire, and though there are no great buds they make wages of from 50s to £6 per v eek 1 « o men, fresh arm als on the ground, made between them 4 0/ D dvvts m two da)s from the first hole they sunk LiLht)

nine tbns of quaitz from the Kimo reef, near Gundagai, hnv e recently been crushed at Adelong, and given 298 o/ of gold, and 41J tons gave a return of 1(4 07 A four mid a half o/ nugget has been picked up ia a claim on Grassett s lead, 1 orbes, and gold has been struck on the old ictoiii lead, behind Jones s store A cni8l ing from No 2 Bushman s reef, Billabong, gav e a return of 2 ‘ o/ to the ton, m all 270 oz V new reef has recently been opened at Woodbury, on the Gundaroo , though work is almost at a stand- still there Two tons sent from the first reef opened were crushed, and assa) ed at the Mint and gave only 1 07 to the ton

A quart? reef has been opened at Wogonga, near . Bodalla It is said to be very rich, and as a claim has been taken by Mr T S Mort who intends to have it worked, its Talue will soon be tested

The want of water is much retarding mining opera- tions on the lloeky Uiver Gold has been struck in a gully leading dow n to the river from Mount Welsh, with a prospect of 0 dwts to the load, and twenty feet sinking

A paity at Cameron s Creek have also hit upon washing stuft, giving 1¿ or to the load, with twelve feet sinking lhere seems to be a difhculty germinating in regard to the Chinese lhe Europeans are jealous of them, and have protested against their being allowed to work on the river

At Woods’ reef, Peel River, a lucky worker in the alluvial sinking, hit upon about 20 07s of nugget«, one of them being of 8^ 078 w eight It is confidently stated that the men w orking here are doing something handsome

OTHER MINES * A NEW vein oí yellow ore has been oponed at the Cadiangullong Copper Mines Now that the 40 horse- power engine has got to work, the smelting works are about to be extended, in order to keep pace with the increased amount ot oie raised

Arrangements are also being made lor working an extensive set of crushing and Jigging machiner), by means of this engine \ ork is being ictiv ely carried on at tho Icel) Copper Mme, the mam workings bomg on Williams lode 1 rom these are raised blocks of from two to Ino cwt, and averaging from 30 to 50 percent of copper

As many as tineen different parallel lodes have been traced on this ground Something of a difficulty has arisen at Carangara, owing to the company having inves ed the whole of its capital in repairing and altering the furnaces oí the old compan), which alter all the outlay have been lound not to answer 1 his huB to a considerable e. tent ciamped their present proceedmgs

The proprietors oí the litziov lion Mines are about making airangements that will make then cstabhsh ment perhaps the most complete and gigantic out of Lngland

As these arrangements have not yet been perlected, it would be out of place to enter upon them beyond sa) ing what we have done Gil, from the Pioneer Kerosene Works, at American Creek, has been received in S)dney, and is now on sale publicly

It has been in general use in Wollon- gong for some time pist, and the people there speak of it very lughly, as being quite equal to the best imported oil and not so inflammable One hundred and fifty gallons per diem arc produced

The works of the Petrolea Vale Kerosene Company rue now fully completed, and ready to set in motion almost at any time There are certain matters, how e cr, that cause a temporary delay, but by the new year the Petrolea oil will be generally in the market lhe Great Western Kerosene Compan) s mine has recently been visited and inspected by several gentle men, in company with the proprietors of the mine The gentlemen in question reported very favourably oí the seam of coal and of the mine geneiaUv