BEACH DREDGING. [Grey River Argus, January 21.]

West Coast Times, Issue 7300, 22 January 1889, Page 2

BEACH DREDGING. [Grey River Argus, January 21.]

On Saturday a number of gentlemen, ia no way deterred by the heat of the afternoon, made their way out to Mr Joseph Taylor's mining lease to see a portion of his machinery at work, the setting up of which had been completed the day before. Mr Taylor, as we all know, is going into the beach dredging business ia « thorough going manner. Besides ihe machinery he has now on the ground, which consists of a Priestman's dredge, driven by a suitable engine, and a centrifugal pump and washing apparatus, he has on the way out a machine known as "The Cataract." This litter is a description of pump that has been at work in New York harbor for tbe last 17 years for dredging out the shallows, aa the harbor had been silting up very much of late years. On one occasion the " Cataract " was used to pump a cargo of coal out of a vessel which bad sunk at her moorings, and this was successfully accomplished in a few hours. The ■' Cataract " is intended to be set up at the edge of (he lagoon on a portion of the lease where some very rich gold was found close to the surface in early days.

The Priegtjnaq grab is a simple looking contrivance, but it worlds ft gpeat deal bptte?" than one would iinagiqe #ho had not seen the, principle jn u;sf? t>pf orat It is worked in fche same way ag tbe mqveable crane on th§ wharf, the only difference beipg that the. grab is drppped pretty sharply so as to enable the tines to pierce the dirt. When lowered to the ground it , closes slowly together, gathering up about J half a ton or more of stuff, according to the nature of the material or the contour of ! the surface If the shingle is coarse a large tined grab is used ; if fine or earthy, a differently constructed one is worked. Sometimes the grab gets jammed through coming across a very large stone or piece ' of wood, and in that case a portion of the gravel runs out, more especially if it be very wet ; but altogether they are boh said tT work very well. It wa^ the grab for fine stuff that was at work on Saturday. It was employed in opening a face to begin work on and striping it down to the water, below which the wash is more or less ruriferous to the bottom. The jib is about 37ft long, and takes a curved sweep of about 60ft, and of any width that may be deemed desirable. Several gentlemen took out their watches and timed the work done. When the machine was kept going regularly the average was about four lifts every five minutes ; and as the contents of each grab is estimated at half a ton or more, its capacity may be put down roughly at 200 tons per day of eight hours.

The waßhing machine, when in working order, will be in position alongside the grab on a different set of rails. This forms a high scaffolding in order to pros vide proper fall for the boxes. On top of this is a good-sized watertight paddock. Once on the washdirt the grab will deposit each lift into this paddock, into whioh a very strong stream of water will be forced by the centrifugal pump for washing purposes. Attached to the paddock for wash dirt is an iron cylinder, something like a coffee roster, and thickly perforated with holes for the purpose of screening the gravel from the sand It isiu reality only a hopper, By constantly revolving, the water flowing into it washes the gold and sand on to tbe plates he'oTJ, while the cylinder being on one incline discharges all the gravel and stones into another set of boxes, all the debris coming out at the tail in any direction tha* may be wanted 1 The engine to drive the centrifugal pump has not yet arrived, but is expected to be here shortly. Consequently until both machines are at ' work together the practical result of ! the machinery as a whole cannot be known. But enough was seen to fhow the enormous capacity of the machine for lifting and washing shingle. Nothing short of a small army of men could It ft and deal with the enormous mass of debris in a day that theee two machines will nccomplish'.totfetber. Once the top surface is removed and the washdirt reached the grab will go like clockwork, as there are no big stones or other objects to prevent the tines from closing tightly. When the bottom is reached, it there should be any difficulty in bringing up the last layer, it will be only necessary to put the centrifugal pump to work, and it will bring out the remaining gravel and water, or the water only if that be desired, and the bottom may be cleaned up by hand ; for the pump is said to be powerful enough to throw out double the water that comes through the shingle. The appliances seem to be first rate and well adapted in every respect to deal with the problem of extricating ihe gold fiom the beach shingle; and if practical experience should pronounce Mr Taylor's plant a success, it is not too much to say that within the next 12 months after at least a dozen machines will be at work on our beach claims.