OPENING OF THE BRIGTH SMILE COMPANY'S NEW BATTERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4272, 23 July 1875, Page 3

OPENING OF THE BRIGTH SMILE COMPANY'S NEW BATTERY.

This event came oil' at noun on Thursday, anil was witnessed by a large number of spectators. The engine-room was taste- ! fully hung with ilags ami seats provided. By 12 o'clock, however, the available sitting room was by far too small, the number of ladies present being not less than luO, while : the assemblage scattered in every part of the ; battery was not short of SOO, evidencing the • unprecedented interest. In the starting of ■ this engine every class was fully represented, from his Worship the Warden, W. Fraser, Esq., to the Worshipful Mayor, W. Davics, Esq., who, in a neat speech alluded to the difficulties of the undertaking; but, he said, by the combined action of the shareholders, assisted by their engineer, the enterprise had been brought to a successful issue. Mrs. J!. Kennan was then introduced and turned 011 the steam, and 011 the fly-wheel revolving the broke a bottle of champagne, and named the battery at the same time "The liright Smile." Loud cheers followed tin's act, the engine pursuing the even tenor of its way.— Mr. W. Kowe said he deemed this one of the most important events that had ever happened on the Thames, and would shew to posterity the indomitable energy of the present shareholders in the liright Smile, and demonstrate that they were worthy of the Anglo-Saxon race, ami that the 'I himes people were not one whit behind in the matter of self reliance, as proved by the fact that the entire structure, excepting the engine, had been the product <>! local industry; and concluded bygivingthe sentiment of "Success to the iiriglit .Muile Company."--Mr. R. Kennan, who was received with cheers, replied that he was proud of tiie occasion. He tendered his thanks to the ladies and gentlemen for their presence. He and his colleagues had been as one iu this undertaking, and had watched with care and assiduity J the growth of the infant imw before them. He trusted it would mm- make up, and uot only be a source of profit to tiie company, but of benefit to the community.—Captain Richard", in proposing ill health of the engineer, Mr. G. I*. IliUon. 1 aid r'lar. gentleman a well-merited compliment, and spoke in terms of praise of tlie uhm r i<, which the mill had been put out 01 tli -inn Is of the several contractors, it li -i._ • jiial to anything of the kind ill or 0111 >' 'in- colonies.— Mr. G. P. Hilton I'etni:.' I ' uk.-* for the compliment, ami was | 1 ■: ne present occasion, that his cud..; '.ring the affair to a successtul is .... 1 .. heartily responded to byrie tli.-it it was to them, and to Mr. ii. Iv imau in par ticular, they were in .• .! .• 1:-.: ami progress of the Biig-it 1" ■:>. -Mr. John Somerville al - ; word.* on behalf of the .01 • ;,:.iin Goldmith, Mining 1. ~...,,,1 the health of tin , ■. the had never . . . ~R . so handsomely de •■•).. , J —Mr. Whitford w;u- j and in doing hn astonished but del j 1 .. However, as mod. . he could only sin.- i behalf of the fan . 1.., which their health > 'h Rowe said the inn . -.i. founders (Messrs. 1 1 >• ' been mentioned, a 1 • ged to jaopose the r ' " i Received with ace ; • ..i.\

were then iuviteil to partake of a champagne luncheon, and abundance was provided for everybody, which being disposed of the engine was act going, ana in a short time the torty stampers beat time with regularity and power, and the twelve berdans ran round eir course with life-like jog, and thus was f, , into action the concentrated hopes Of the proprietors, amid the plaudit of an eager and expectant throng. —As the erection of this mill has f? om time to tune been noticed m the mining reports a brief account of its principal features will suthce on the present occasion. The mill is enclosed in a substantial wooden building, 9o by 100 teet, with ornamented front to ilackay-street, and consists of 40 stampers or SjO lbs. each working in eight boxes, each box provided with discharges, copper tables, ripples, and blanket-streaks, with drops and fiuming to carry off surplus water. The stampers are arranged in tens, provided with clutch gearing, so that any ten may be thrown oil" without stopping the engine. The cam-shaft is worked from a counter-

shaft resting on largo cast-iron brackets bolted upon the iron columns, fitted with, plumnier-boxes, and capable of adjustment in any direction. The water pipe is laid under the shoulder of the bracket. At the extreme ends of tho counter shaft are two separate clutch pulleys, connecting with berdan by belts, enabling the whole machinery to be thrown out of gear by self-acting arrangement should any \\ rong evolution of the engine take place. i"he number of berdans is 12, four feet diameter each, supplied with drags, and titteil up in the most approved method, while contiguous are thi- necessary conveniences for manipulating the amalgam. This part of the building is laid with tine concrete for flooring, rhe engine-house, partitioned off, overlooks the battery. This portion of the plant is the only manufactured article imported, and was purchased for the company m Melbourne, and -was made by Kay of lvirkaldy, Scotland ; it is of the beam type originally designed for 30 horse-power! high pressure, but has been adapted for working as a condensing engine, giving a great increase of power upon a less amount of fuel; length of stroke, 4 feet: ; flywheel, IS feet diameter, the beam resting on plummer boxes, supported by six ironplated columns, with sole-piece firmly bolted to foundation. The boilers are two Lancashire type, 30 feet long, 0 feet 0 inche3 in diameter, with double furnaces to each surmounted with domes, and every other appliance for the safety and convenience of wo-kmen, thoroughly cramped together, and set in brickwork. On top of boilers, at extreme end, are two retort furnaces, connected by flues with smoke-stack erected outside. The height of this column is 90 feet, the base being 13 feet and the top 6

feet ; it is built in panel and finished at top with ornameutal device, giving the structure" an elegant appearance. Ample provision has been made for the supply of water. The mine water is utilised, creek supply rendered available, and the boilers fed from the town supply, while a large reserve is kept on hnn,T from rainfall by a judicious arrangement of tanks, valves, piping, and pump. These supplies can either be used collectively or kept separate. The battery is well lighted' in the day, and scarcely less so at night, owing to the well arranged gasalierg, and by a contrivance of moveable guttapercha tubing, no candle will be iicccsgary or allowed in the whole of the building. The whole of the work has been performed by the several contractors in the most satisfactory manner, from plans drawn by the comuany's engineer, Mr. G. P. Hilton, under whose personal supervision every branch has been conducted to a successful issue. The several contractors were For the housing, Mr. Colobrook ; for foundations and setting up berdan flaming, Mr. Mace ; for interior battery and .ngiiie-house work, Mr. John Somerville ; for berdans, with fittings, Price Brothers ; for stampers, with shafting boxes and gear complete, Mr. Judd, as also the condensor. Mr. Gunn was entrusted with the whole of the brickwork, and Mr. Simpson with the masonry. The boilers were constructed by Mr. Stager, while the gas fittinga and multifarious small appurtenances were supplied by Mr. MoCaul, and the finishing stroke of painting by our decorator, Mr. i'ricker, —proving that the Thames can not only supply gold, but the means of developing it, and by the ability thus displayed has added to the resources of the district, and shed lustre upon the energy and enterj>rise of the proprietors.