OUR THAMES LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2422, 30 October 1871, Page 3

OUR THAMES LETTER.

Saturday, 4 p.m. ■GOLDEf Cbow>\—Hie tributes this fortnight hare been very much retarded in their crushing operations, consequent upon the short Supply of water, caused by the stoppage of the Caledonian pumps. At the very outside, not more than 40 tons have passed through the mill, -which has given a yield of 48 ozs. 11 dwts. of melted gold. This stone was obtained from the block of the old reef immediately under No. 2 tunnel, and it is also from here that the few specimens reported a day or two ago were got. In the new low level the progress made is very elow, both parties of contractors beicg in very hard ground. From the new reef they are still about 40 feet, ■while they are still"driving upon the old reef, •with very little success. Bed, "White and Blue.—The crushing for this company, at the Manukuu battery, was finished this morning, after 100 tons had passed through, and the result is G6 ozs. of retorted gold—a much inferior return to what vras anticipated. This h the smallest yield ever obtained from this leader, but the manager is confident of having a fine yield from "the block he is now preparing to tuke out. The last crushing or two that the coinpanr have had latterly have been far from satisfactory ; but still" the old shareholders, many of whom work in the mine, have every confidence in the wealth of their ground, and are undaunted by these yields, and express a determination to persevere in opening their new low levels. Little Asgel.—The shareholders of this ■company have had a lot of six tons of atone from a very large reef tested at Souter's batterv, and the result, although scarcely payable in consequence of the difficulty of getting it down to the mill, proves to their sutisfactioa that it is impregnated with the precious metal, and by opening out upon it they may come across something better. The sis tons gave 3 ozs. 15 dwts. retorted gold. Davxtliss and Slnexto-Kise.—The party who took the upper portion of the Sink-to-Rise leader on tribute are sending doivn a lot of 25 ton 3 of stuff to Souter's old battery, and although the show on the plates so far is nothing extra, yet it is expected before the lot is through that it ->vill be brought near to an ounce per ton, whicli yield will pay well. Eelii.—A contract to push ahead the low level tunnel of this mine another 100 feet was accepted at a meeting of directors last night. This tunnel will intersect the reef at a distance -of 40 feet, f»nd not far from beneath ivhero several parcels of 20 or 30 tons of quartz have been reduced, and yielded in every ease over li ozs. retorted gold. The reef is over four feet thick, of a soft, black, friable character, in every respect similar to the City of Dunedin, and is laid down by the surveyors as the •" black reef" itself. Hitherto, the great drawback has been the means of getting the etuff down to the machine; but in a week or two the Tinker's Gully tramway will come close to the tunnel, and the stuff will then be sent direct to the mill, the entire cost of taking out, crushing, and other expenses, beicg°within £1. The amount of dirt they hare to beat avray above this tunnel is immense, having over 150 feet of backs, with a Hue of about 400 feet long.