OUR THAMES LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2348, 4 August 1871, Page 3

OUR THAMES LETTER.

Thursday, 7 p.m. Caledonia*. —I paid an underground visit to this mine early this morning, and was Terr glad to see that the resin run of gold had not deteriorated by the enormous quantity of specimen stone taken out during the night. Fully one ton of rich stone had been sent up, and this was sent oil" to the mill, where seven heads are employed reducing nothing but this class of stone. The two stroug boxes are yet full of choice ftone, and what will be brought during the next few days will, I think, carry over the crushing beyond tho usual clcauing up day. As to the total yield I dure say nothing at present, as there is suck an amount of gold in view that it would bo futilo to predict any, although by the want of fuel and bad roads the general stulT will not come up to last week; yet the si>ecimrns will compensate for that drawback, and tho yield, when it is made up, will be such as to delight the shareholders. The length of gold visible in the old run of the main stopo is something wonderful to-day — such an extraordinary length of it that I am compelled to fall back upon the old saying, that it never looked better. With regard to the low workings, I could not descend, on account of the masses of timber being sent down to secure the chamber, but •when the leader was last struck it showed gold freely ; and I venture to assert that this level will come up to the expectations formed of it. The lode going towards the Otago is improving in size and quality as opened upon, and on this side of the mine the ground already opened out is very good.

Shoioveb Battery.—The Eureka have again commenced to crush at this machine, where they employ six heads, and the show to-day predicts a yield something like the last. The tributers of the Shotover upper workings are also crushing a lot of stuif from the upper workings of the mine, and as great care is taken in picking the stuff, a good yield is expected, as eight tons were reduced last week and gave at the rate of 3 ozs. per ton. The contractors in the company's shaft are making very fair progress, the ground beinz somewhat tight at present.

Vale of Atoca.—A change for the better b is taken place in the reef No. 2, which the manager is driving upon from tlie low-level know as the Thunderbolt tunnel. Some twenty-five feet further will bring them urnler t'-e shot of gold so rich in the upper workings, and there is every indication that this will be strong in this new level, as scarcely a day passes without a little gold being taken out. Xear the Thunderbolt boundary the reef was very poor; when crushed, did not yield above 6 dwts. to the ton, but this has gradually improved, and it is expected that the stuff shortly to be broken out will go something like 4 ozs. per ton, the average on the uppsr level. To meet this tunnel, a winze has been started on the ran above, and when a communication is cfTeetcd, backs of 120 feet will have to be stoped out, which alone will be sufficient to keep at work the number of stampers they will be able to get. As soon as po-sible a cross-cut will bi started to irtersect the other reefs, and when a month or two has passed over the head of this company, I think they will begin to reap the reward of their labours of the past sir months.

Belmont. —As telegraphed Inst niiht, the contractors iu this mine intersected the old Waterfall leader in the level they are putting in from the bed of the creek, and the result was s little stone broken out, in which the precious metal was fairly visible. The lode was cut at a distance of 100 feet from the mouth of the tunnel, and, so far, it is judged to be about two feet in thickness, but it is almost too early to speak definitely as to that. The ground comprises the old Waterfall and Fearnaught claims, and the latter company's leader was held in high repute two or three years ago, it having crushed something extraordinary from the few tons that were sent from the surface workings to the mill. This drive is also expected to cut this leader, and if it should turn out anything like it did on the surface, there can be no doubt but that the company will hold a very valuable property.

Cixr of Londox.—At a meeting of directors last night, it was decided to put down a new shaft a depth of 150 feet, and this will be supplied with a six-horse vertical engine, for the necessary winding purposes. This is a step in the right direction, and the yields obtained from the crushings made at various times by the old shareholders warrant such a course being taken. In addition to this, proposals were brought forward for the erection of a self to join a short one on the Flat; and in this there is no doubt but that the Queen of the May will take part, the expenses between them being very email in comparison to the benefits that will be derived. In order to carry out these schemes it was necessary thr.t a large fund should be at the disposal of the directors, and accordingly a call of Is per scrip has been made ; and I should advise the shareholders to come forward promptly, and answer this call, as I feel convinced that once the shaft is down, and communication with the upper or 116 feet workings is effected, they will have a lode to work upon which is ijiviug splendid results in the adjoining ground.

JfOTAREiL.—Early this morning the ftos. 1 and 2 -winzes were broko througlj into the new low level, thus giving a block of <10 feet high by fifty feet long on the run of pold. The bulk of last month's gold was from these 1 wo winzes, and I shall be very much mistaken if this month does not equal, if not surpass, any yield yet obtained. To-night men will be eel on to etope away this ground, and within the next day or two I liopo to bo iu a position to report something good of it.