ADELAIDE.

West Coast Times, Issue 701, 23 December 1867, Page 4

ADELAIDE.

Thursday, Dec. 12. The news from the country relative to the prevalence of red rust in the crops continues very unsatisfactory. The yield now is certain to be very small. Tin Kaihvay Loan Bill has been thrown out in Council by a nwjority of one". The Moonta Mine has declared a dividend of L 5 per chare. The corn market is very firm ; buyers would give 6s 6d for wheat, but there is none offering. Buyers offer Ll6 for town flour, millers ask Ll7. Arrived. — Malcolm, Philippine, Freetrader, and Phillis, from Newcastlo ; and Sarah Pile, from Brisbane. The cargo of sugar, ex Layard, from Mauritius, was all sold to-day at full prices. Friday, Dec. 13. The corn market is in a very unsettled •tate. 7s is offering for wheat, but thero aro no sellers. 100 tons Hart's flour were Bold at LlB. The cargo of the Souchays steamer, intended for England, has been all unloaded again, owing to the advance in the market. She loads home with wool. Messrs Thomas and Andrews, of the "Hegister" newspaper, were summoned before tho Legislative Council to-day, on a motion by the Hon. J. Baker. They demand to be allowed counsel, which was agreed to. The matter has been postponed till Monday.

Sir William Denisou appears to have retired from the civil service. This we infer from the following entry in the civil service estimates for 1868. "Pension — Sir William Denison, Governor of Tasmania and New South Walea, L 429 8s 4d. Additional, L 284 3s 6d. Total, L 713 11s lOd. Age on retirement, 62. Service 15 years. Salary on retirement, L 7000." M. Chevalier, the artist (says the "Argus"), formed one of the Prince's suit during ths Eoyal tour through the Western District. We are glad to know that by this means His Royal Highness will be able to carry away with him some permanent memorials of tho beautiful lake scenery of tho Woßtern District. Tnder the head of "Mining Notes" the " Melbourne Argus " of the 14th inst. publishes the following account of what may with truth be termed a mo3t gigantic swindle :—: — " A correspondent of the Wood's Point " Times " writes as follows respecting tho Vulcan Quartz Company's claim, where the alleged case occurred of maliciously spoiling a crushing by mixing lead with tho stone : — '.On many occasions, for upwards of fourteen years in this colony as a miner, I have seen many make an attempt at swindling, especially in quartz-mining companies ; but the rao st atrocious swindle that has come uuder my observation has been perpetrated at the Vulcan Quartz-mining Company, Cherry's Point. For some months past it has been given out that J this company wa3 in a very prosperous condi- | tioa, so much so that the principal share- ■ holders in Melbourne were induced to visit the mine to judge for themselves. Accordingly tho >isit was made, both by gentlomeu from Melbourne and in Wood's Point. Now what was the result of their inspection ? Just this — a dish of stono would be broken out from any part of the lode tho3o gentlemen wished to select, by one of the local working shareholders, and carefully washed off; the result would justify any speculator to invest, for on every occasion the returns from a dishful of quartz would bo generally ti pennyweight of coarse gold. So encouraging have the supposed genuine prospects been to those gentlemen who visited the mine, that the JTerrnoy machine was fitted up, regardless of expense, about a. mile of tramway, and v very expensive shoot for the quartz, were all got ready in a short space of time. But what is the result of nearly 200 tons crushing ? The return is nearly four ounces of lead! This should open the eyes of all connected with quartz mining. Tho mine itself the day after was inspected, and from more than twenty different places it was variously tried and carefully washed, and not a partical of gold was visible, before six witnesses." " Miner," another correspondent of tho same journal, thus writes on tho same subject : — " I was rather amused in reading your last issue to observe that the shareholders in tho Vulcan offer a reward of L2O to any one who will give information respecting fcho person or persona who committed tho audacious crime of putting fciireo ounces of lead into the boxes of the Fermoy machine, thereby causing all the gold from 200 tons of quartz to be lost. The shareholders in the Vulcan exhibit as much ignorance concerning the amalgamation of gold as they did in their judgment of the reef. Will any one, oxcept the shareholders of the Vidcan, suppose ,that by putting 3oz of lead into the boxes the gold from 200 tons of quartz, which was expected to yield loz to tho ton, would be completely lost, not even leaving one solitary speck ? Tho Fermoy being a new machine, it is not at all a matter of surprise that so small a quantity of lead should be found in the boxes, that metal being used in connexion with the machinery. Any one attempting to prevent tho amalgamation of the gold, would have used -much more effectual means than by putting 3osc of lend into the boxoi ,"