THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH BATTERY, WAI0TAHI CREEK.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3585, 14 January 1869, Page 5

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH BATTERY, WAIOTAHI CREEK.

The starting of every new battery on this field at the present time ia a matter of the greatest publio interest, as assisting materially in developing the auriferous value of the various claims, more especially when such machinery is erected in tbe very centre of claims which give every prospect of rivalling, ia richness and resources, any yet opened at the Thameß. The Messrß. Weston have justly earned for themselves the cr«dit of materially assisting towards the development of a goldfield, the future of which will probably prove it unparalleled in its resources ; and when we consider th*t the enterprise has been, in every sense, a local one, we can only admire the thorough enterprising; spirit displayed by the promoters, and the sound judgment that h»s characterised the undertaking. The site of the maohiuery is on the Duke of Edinburgh ground, the exact position being immediately opposite the Punga. Plat, in ■ the bed of the WaiotAhi Creek. Jusb seveu weekago yesterday the building was commenced by Mr. Shepherd, the contractor, its extent being 45 fe*t by 40 feet, with a d.uble roof, the wh«le having- been completed in the most woiktnanlike manner. The ent>re battery, as at present erected, consists of 16 stampers— ls, and a single siamier with berdan attached— the whole of the ironwork having been supplied from th« Auckland foundry of Mesaw. Fraser and Tinne. The machinery is driven by a pair of high-pressure combined horizontal oyliuder engines of 15-liorse pow»r each, two-feet stroke, the makeri being Messrs. Young and Oarrington, of London. A retorb capable of containing '2001b weight of amaigam is situated ia one corner of the engine-room. The boiler was first of all fixed together in tha shop of Mjfosrß. Fraser and Tinne ; it was taken to pieces ana tent up to the ground in sections, where it was again put together and tuhed. It is a multitubular boiler, requiting no brickwork to rest upon, us it stands upon iron supports at either end. It is 17 feet in length' and five f&t in diameter, the pressure b ing equal to one hundred pounds, although it is only intended to work it up to tixty. When tested with hydraulic pressure it was found to be perfectly ight and substantial. The stampers weigh uu hundred and thirty pounds each ; there are fi»e pratings perforated, about one hundred to the inch, three to each box. The, water for the use of' fcbo battery is brought by means of iron pipe* from the flume constructed to convey it in the first instance from tbe Waiotahi flreek. There are four two feet eisjhfc inch planes, with a drop of four inches at the, end of eich, there being a tingle tipple in each, piaae — the f.iur planes combining frirm tha tabk «, a the extremity! of which there are lijla»k*t tab'e.'ten 'feet in leDgbh,| conveying the tailing! and watering sl^ge boxes outside the building, which clarifies the-witter, aqd copvevs it iiitp the creek again. 'J he fortn^tibtr of the ibuilding is entirely stone, anj the weight of the stamper bed is seven rous. , , isß le glh i- 29. feet over-all, Tjemg neven by three feet,in thicknen. At theiback of the machine, level with, the roadway some 60 feet above, a largo .plat'forna has been trectedj in the construction ■>£ which 25 000 f>*et vt timber Were used! Thi« platform is 6apabl« of cone&hing s *bodt 300 tofas «.f quartz, which is o<>nvey«d into thb maohineroim by three shoot", with trap doors * > the mouth of them. • -Tne amount of quicK-' »Hrerjn^ce»sary to charge the battery is estimated at < "nhoat 400 pounds ia weight. The battery,'rwhiofihat been erected under the direot supervision of Mr. , Sharp e, tha engineer, who remains t> take oharge of

it, is, on the whole, an undertaking thab would do oredit to any goldfieli, and all engaged ia its <;onstraotion appear to have done their very utmost toeusure its perfect suooeas. Mes»r«. Eraser |nd Jione, who have furnished a Urge quantity of machinery for this field— tuia making the fifteenth battery they hava been connected with— have given every possible satisfaction to the proprietor*, as, in fact, they hava invarial ly done in every insUnoe. Inhere wa* a arge assjmblage of gentlemen, friends of the pro* prietora, who attended the opening of the neir battpry, among whom fl ere Major Keddell, Meiers. Baillie, Walker, Power, Tinne, and others. About ten minutes pait twelve o'clock at noon, the ateam whistle informed the spectators that everything was , in readiness, whilst the rumbling sound of the quarts as it desceudeil ihs shoots must have been a source of extreme satisfaction to the proprietors, who were at length in a position to realise th« fact that their important undertaking had been 00 satisfactorily completed. One after another the temporary supports from tba stamper* were rem verf, nod ia the lapse of a few momenta the whole machinery was iv full play, working with a smoothness and 4teadioess that gave , the znoat practical evidence of the, solidity of the entire construction. The stone first passed through cornea from the Duke of Edinburgh and Golden City Claims ; it is not expected to yield any great returns, but was forwarded ia order to get the tables in full working order. After about a quarter of an hour had been spent in watching, with muoh interest, the movements of the machinery, an adjournment was made,' at the request of the proprietors, to an adjoining ■ I building, where a cold collation was provided of a most acceptable material, the diicuasion of which was decidedly enjoyable. The drinkables were the very best procurable, and many a hearty toast was drunk in sparkling champagne to the health and prosperity of the proprietors of the Duke of Edinburgh Battery. After full justice had been dons to tbe good things of the table, Major Eeddbx.!* called upon those present to charge then glasses in order to drink the health of the Messrs. Weston, and to wish them every prosperity. He sincerely trusted that many others would be induced to follow the enterprising example sot by the Messrs- We>ton. Mr. Warwick Weston, in responding, assured those present that a great load had been taken off his mind that day iv witnessing the first starting of the battery. In crußhmg f»r the public they would do their very utmost to afford satisfaction. He could say without egotism t'tab the undertaking had been a large one, necessitating no *mnll amount of anxiety, as he bad learnt by six months' experience. He trunted, with the proposer, that the maohina would prove a imocess. Mr. T. S. Weston begged to propose tbe health of Messrc. Fraterand Tiuue, who from the ea»iies» commencement of the field had shown the most enterprising spirit in. assisting to develop its resources. They were the first to erect a battery at the Thames, and .deserved the thanks of the oomnmnity for so doing. Much as he believed in the principle of free trade, he sincerely trusted that tbe local men would reoeive the first offer of all works to be oonatruoted on this goldtield. Mr. 1 innb begged leave to thank Mr. Weston and the company present for the very oordial manner in which they had drunk the health of the firm with which he was conueated, and also for the wish he had expressed that local enterprise might be suppoited. 'I he confidence plaoed in them by the Messrs. Weston they highljr, appreciated, and he was glad that they had aff irded^tisfaotion. He heartily endorsed the sentiment, wishing the proprietors every success. Mr. Warw/qk Westok expressed his acknowledgments to Mr. Sharpe, the engineer, for the careful manner in which he had supervised the erection of the battery. Mr. T. Weston had only one more toast to propose, and that was the health of Mr. Shepherd, the contractor of the building. He felt p- rfeotly satisfied with the way in which everything had been completed, and also wiih the men who were working under them Mr. > hep herd, on behalf of himself and the men working under htm, briefly returned thanks. And thus was completed a very pleasant reunion attending the opening of certainly one of the most complete batteries on the field. »■— ■

(FROM THB "THAMES ADVERTISER," JANITABY II.) Another cargo of sleepers for the Tramway will bs discharged at Gr- ham's Tdwn to-day, making the> third shipment deposited there in readinest for the commencement of the line or rail between Shorfcland and Tvnru. We understand that the Tararu line, which is to extend t > the Kuranui, was commenced yesterday, under the direction of Mr. O'Neill, the chief engineer. Surveyors are at work taking the levels of all the creeks, from Tararu to the Hapa, The Kuranui Creek road, which it was proposad to commence, has been postpontd fur the present, as will be seen by announcement in our advertising columns. ■

FATAL ACCIDENT AT OOROMANDEL. We have received intelligence, by a pwwenger per ■ohooner ' Caroline,' of an aooideat which occurred on the Nil Degperandum Claim, resulting ia the de*th of one of the shareholders named Henry Lnahtnann, a native of Hamburg. It appears that the .shareholders are erecting a battery of eight stampers upon the olaim, and the timber has been obtained from the bush by the men themselves. Oa Saturday morning last, a part? of five men were engage! felting a large kauri, and, in order that the tree might full in a particular diieotion, it wa* found necessary to wedge it up. The trunk having been severed, a sud<len gnat of wind oauied it to 8 *erve round, and the tireo fell ia an opposite direct on to that anticipated. The unfortunate man Loahmann, seeing the direction in which thetr^e was falling, ran towards a gully, but was nob sufficiently quick to esoafie tb« limns of the falling tree, one of which completely crushed him. An alarm was instantly given, and the whole of the party set to work to clear him of the tree. Deceased was perfectly sensible when extricated, and was instantly conveyed to Mr. Qoatl'a^ house. Here, everything thatooul<i be done to alleviate the poor maa't) sufferings was done, but after lingering for some bouts he expired. A coroner's inquest was held on Saturday evening, before Jamei Preece, Esq., and a rei pec table jury, when a verdict in accordance with the above facts was given.