OUR THAMES LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IX, Issue 2520, 22 February 1872, Page 3

OUR THAMES LETTER.

Wednesday, 5 p.m. Inverness.—The " slide" that cut off the main leader in the bottom level has thrown the lode almost at right angles to its original bearing, and was picked up yesterday by driving on the slide. This morning it appears to be a jumbled up mass of quartz and pipeclay, several inches wide, and from this several pieces of quartz wera picked out which showed gold, with a great profusion of base metals. Already Beveral trucks of quartz have been sent into the mill, and the plates are showing better than I hare seen at any time during the la3t fortnight. The tributers have been crushing a week with 10 heads, from the Inverness leader, below the 100 feet level, but the result, according to the amalgam now on the fire, promises to be very poor. Moanataihi Uxio>*. —This company have put through 64i tons of general stuiT at the Tramway battery, which was broken from the old Union leader in the bottom level, and also from the vein striking therefrom, and the result is larger than anticipated, the yield being 99 ozs. retorLed gold, including that obtained on Saturday from the picked stone.

Caledonian.—An inspection of this mine, in the low level, reveals the fact that the lode in the north drive, which ran into mullock a few days ago, is again making into quartz. In the floor of the drive it is fully two feet thick, but in the top it is a little shaken. As this is opened upon, there is no doubt it will again develop into a fine stroDg lode. In the old level, the contractors are breaking out a vast quantity of quartz from No. 2 stope or block, that is, the shaft at the Bideof the No. 3 or large winze, and the quality of the stuff' from here is first-rate, anticipated to go close on to three ounces per ton. This stuff is going so well that an impression is abroad that the bulk of the stone is from No. 1 stope, where the run of gold was ; but this is not the fact, and speaks well for that immense body of stone that is standing between No. 3 and No. 4 winzes. 'The picked stone, of which there is a little, will be put through tho single stamper later on in the week, but this will not swell the general yield very much. The contract for sinking the first twenty-five or thirty feet of the shaft is now completed, and again a second has been taken, at £4-1 9s per fathom, or £10 lis less than the first contract. This last is accepted on the condition that it is sunk the entire distance required for the formation of another level, say seventy feet below the present level.

Tookey.—Yesterday afternoon communication was effected between this company's shaft anu that of the Caledonian. The men driving from this latter company's shaft of course worked upon the main reef, and Tookey supposed they had done the same, until yesterday, wbon a hole was fired and broke through, disclosing the fact that Tookey were following a reef eight to ten feet behind the main reef. The hole that the Caledonian men put in, although in the centre of their reef, broke

througlit into the west, or hangiDg wall, of tho Tookey drive, which is eight feet west of tho reef followed by the latter company. Ten or twelve feet away from where communication was effected on tho Tookoy shaft side, they found quartz on tho west side, and this bringa it in a direct line with the main reef, showing that they had also taken away part of the footwalls of the main lode. The large body of stone these comuonies have been driving upon is Bupposed to be nono other than the Caledonian famous specimen leader; but as several crushings have been had therefrom, with almost barren results, it proves that le P rC3en '' level no golden stone whatever' 13 t0 ' )e ' u of the lodes, and that the o.: lly cha " co i 9 , for , ll| o development of a still io^: er leTel tUe Caledonian i Company. Central Itaii-.—Yesterday afierno?"' spite the extremely boisterous weather, a ' fuir number of gentlemen and mining managers assembled by invitation to witness the start of the winding and pumping machinery latterly erected by this company. Manv Auckland gentlemen and ladies had promised their presence, and it was intended that ono

of tho fair sex should oflicintc at the christening. The climb up tho hill on a dry day is sufficient almost to daunt tho stoutest heart, but with weather liko yesterduy it was out of reason to expect the presence of tho ladies, so that the lot fell to tho chairman of directors, Mr. Sandes, who, in a neat speech, gave the name of " Victor" to tho machinery, amid the cheers of those assembled. Several other toasts were proposed, such as " Success to tho Central Italy Gold Mining Company "Directors, Mine, and Legal Managers," all of whioh were responded to by the various gentlemen interested. Tho company had provided ample refreshments for tho inner ■ man, and, after partaking of these, the assemblage dispersed, everyone wishing abundant success to the company. Tho machinery consists of a 25 horso-power horizontal engine, with .16 inch cylinder, and is by tho wellknown English manufacturers, Pollock and MaeNab, ot' Manchester. Tho pumping and winding gear are of Melbourne make, with only the latter attached for the present, as tho shaft is quite dry, and any inllow there has been of Into tho present buckets would overcome. The boiler is of that description known as Cornish, and is 33 ft. x 6 ft. 6 in. diameter, fitted with Galway tubes, on the most approved principles, which latter it is understood arc very efficient as economisers of fuel. The foundations of the boilers are of brickwork, while those of tho engine are of massive wood framework, —the whole carried out under the supervision of Mr. Jno. Stunning, tho mine manager, and Mr. Ilollingsworlh, the engineer. Tho present depth of the shaft is 274 feet, and it is intended to sink a few feet further for a well, when opeuing out will commence at about the present level, to develop tho leader that has been carried down some distance iu the shaft.