ISLAND BLOCK EXTENDED GOLD COMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 13

ISLAND BLOCK EXTENDED GOLD COMPANY.

Shotovor each ladder that carries about 40 buckets lias nearly 700 working parts that cannot be oiled, and that are exposed to the action of water, saud, and dirt. These require almost constant attention and frequent renewal, and average a cost of 24s a day to keep in repair. The steam engine is also an expensive item, costing in many case 3 over £4 per day, and sometimes even more than this sum. These two items alone run away with the respectable sum of £1635 for a year's work. By the proposed system £550 will do the same amount or even more work, as less repairing means more time to devote to paying work, and will leave a clear saving of £1135 for dividends instead of expenses. This dredge, as its name partly implies, is driven by electricity. The power is first obtained from water, either at an elevation (when this is easily obtainable) or (as in the design before us) from the river itself by means of powerful feathering wheels, moored in a favourable, spot where the current is swiftest or can be made so by various means. By a contrivance on the punt carrying the wheels, any amount of immersion can be given to the wheels, or they can be lifted out of the water when not required for use or' for repairs. It is proposed to adopt two generating motors in most cases in place of one large one, the parts of each being interchangeable. Repairs, when needed, will thus bo more cheaply effected, and total stoppage will be rendered less likely to happen. These motors will work at an estimated mean force of 1000 volts. The current is transmitted from them through two circuits of copper cable from the generators by being suspended from posts on the banks to the dredge itself, and the current would work corresponding motors on the dredge, which would be "shunt wound" for a varying load, so as to obtain an approximate speed, and be so ananged that the field magnet circuit can never be broken by the switch, otherwise the induction from the long length of wire might cause a breakdown of the insulation. Double pole automatic magnetic cutouts are fixed at both generators and motor?. These are special instruments, lately patented, and are now used on tramways, where abnormal loads are liable to be required at any time. Breakdowns, which mayothersvisehappen through carelessness or by accident if constant attention is not given to the electrical machines are thus entirely avoided. The motors on the dredge yvork the winches by the usual geariDg. Each winch, or each pair of winches, as desired, is quite independent, so as to allow of the greatest freedom in working the dredge. The motors also work powerful pumps, which are designed by the I'ire Appliance Manufacturing Company, of London to pump six to seven heads if required under a pressure of 300 ft head. They are of iron, with - gun metal linings and pistons and cup leather valves, the whole being easy of access in case of repairs. These pumps are fitted with capacious air vessel*, and are driven by spur gearing and belt gearing from the motor. The dredging is partly on the principle adopted by hydraulic sluicing claims, with various appliances to adapt it for dredging purposes. Evans's patent jets will be used for the purpose of loosening any part of the wash that is too tightly packed for suction. Adams's patent i\lief block will be employed to prevent any chance of choking—or, rather, if the suction pipe should be choked, this simple and effective device will instantly remove the obstruction and throw it out of the way. The winches have a provision enabling all of them to be worked by hand if required, and powerful hand winches are also supplied to both punts. The elevated material is then to be treated by means of a new gold-saving apparatus, which is the result of. years of patient investigation, expense, and experiment, and which is knnvn as Baldwin's patent grading process. The whole of the washdirfc (from CO to SO tons per hour) is delivered into a revolving screen driven by friction gear. This is a departure from any system of screening at present in use, and delivers the materials in three separate sizes at one operation, the result being that out of the whole quantity only six tons gets on the top tables, and this is still so much further reduced that only about 6cwt is subjected to the final operation. A feature that will recommend itself to anyone who has had practical knowledge of the cost of the usual repairing and wearing out of working pa-ts is this, that the waphdirt does not come into contact with any moving part from first to last except the screen. By repeated trials Mr Baldwin has found that practically all the gold is thus saved, as on analysing 40 samples of tailings passed through his appliances 95 per cent, of gold had been found to have been abstracted. This whole process is entirely automatic after adjustment and requires no attention, while the tailings can be delivered 30ft beyond the stern of the dredge and about Pft above the water line. Neither of these items would, of course, be necessary when working in deep water or the centre of the river. The possibility of working the rocky portions of rivers, such as are on the Shotover and Clutha rivers, need only be mentioned to those having a knowledge of these rivers; and this is further shown by the eagerness displayed by numbers of Europeans and Chinese, who are ready to flock to the beaches whenever the river is at a lower level than usual. Plans and specifications have been sent Home and to the Continent to persons interested, and it is more than likely one or more dredges of the description will be working shortly. Any persons interested in the above methods or any adaptation of them to existing appliances would do well to examine the drawings and judge for themselves as to the suitability of them for their own needs. Any information required, we feel sure, will be given by anyone connected with this dredge or any of its appliances, and the plans can be seen at Mr H. M. Davey's, or a photograph of the arrangements can also be seen or sent to any requiring the same on application being made

A meeting of the Island Block Extended Gold Company (Limited) was held at the Criterion Hotel on Friday night. Mr J. Hyman presided, and there were 16 shareholders present. The annual report, which has already beenpub> lished, was taken as read. r. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, drew att .ntion to the fact that the liabilities of the company had been reduced for the year by over £1530. The amount of their liabilities last year was £3544 as against £2042 this year, and had it not been for the extraordinary scarcity of water for the last two or three months their liabilities would have been still further reduced, as the mine manager was very sanguine of obtaining good returns as soon as he could get a plentiful supply of water. The debentures of the company fell due on the 30i h April last, and the holdeis of the same, with one exception, readily accepted new debentures. The company's plant was in first-class order, and he felt assured that they might look forward to good and prosperous times in the early future for their claim. He had no doubt that, now the snow had come in, they would be able to go on washing for two or three months at least. Mr J. Sparrow seconded the motion for the adoption of the report. Mr P. Shiels said since the beginning of January they had got on to good gold, and if the water supply had been better the gold returns would have been much larger. He thought that if they had a continuous supply of water to work with they would do very well for the next 12 months. . „ , . . .r. The Chairman said it was satisfactory to the shareholders to know that £4136 worth of gold had been obtained from the claim during the past 12 months. „,,,., n. , Mr J. H. Chapman stated that the directors had not taken any fees duriug the last 12 months, nor had they taken auy travelling expenses. They were still in the same position as they were last year. They were endeavouring to draw nothing from the company until the whole of the liabilities were cleared off.—(Applause.) Mr Chatu.es Thomson, of Waitahuna Gully, asked if the director*) had made any attempt to got in the calls still outstanding, amounting to £900 odd, or if there was any prospect of getting them in. Mr Chapman said the amount of calls outstanding was all due on shares that were held by Mr Norman and his friends, and until the companywas in a position to give the shares a really good marketable value he did not Buppose they could get them in. If, however, the shares ever acquired a decent value, he thought that the outstanding calls would b<a a good asset.