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Extracted from the Tavistock Gazette 2nd - 23rd. December 1864
With the kind permission of the Editor, Tavistock Times & Gazette.

   We have been requested to publish the following article from the Western Morning News, in order that it may have more extensive circulation in this district.
   "In the article which recently appeared in the Western Morning News on the town and trade of Tavistock, allusion was made to the fact that the prosperity of that thriving community is mainly dependant on the mining enterprise of the district. The statement, however, requires some explanation in order to render the real state of things in this particularly properly understood. The source of the prosperity of Tavistock is not so much to be found in the mining operations of the locality generally, as in the extraordinary success of one great concern - The Devon Great Consols, otherwise the Devonshire Great Consolidated Copper Mining Company. This undertaking is well known as the most profitable and valuable in the mining list; while so surprising is its early history, and so rapid has been its subsequent progress, that scores of wonderful stories are current respecting the immense fortunes which it is said to have given the lucky shareholders. Though most of these tales are fabulous, the fact on which they are based is true; and we purpose furnishing our readers with a descriptive account of the 'great mining wonder', as the Devon Great Consols have not inaptly been called. Notices of the mine have from time to time appeared in the public prints; but they have been very fragmentary and often inaccurate. In the columns of the Western Morning News the subject will be dealt with reliably and at some length, an additional reason for doing so being the fact that the main details of the operations described may be taken as descriptive of the procedure of copper mining generally; although it must be borne in mind that at the Devon Great Consols everything is conducted on the largest scale, and in the most efficient and economical manner possible. The present articles will, it is hoped, thus have both a general and a special interest - the former as regards mining, and the later as respects this mine.
   It is not yet twenty-one years since the Devon Great Consols Mining Company was formed and commenced operations, Captain Josiah Hitchens being one of the chief promoters. At that time the sett, which stretches from the River Tamar to the River Lumborn, a distance of three miles in length and about two miles in width, was occupied entirely by fields and plantations, the only trace of mining adventure upon it being an old half-forgotten shaft, overgrown with trees, and said by tradition to have been dug about the middle of the last century. At this point the company set to work. The shaft which was fourteen fathoms deep, was cleared out and enlarged to good working dimensions before it was sunk any further. Then the miners proceeded to deepen it, and at 17 fathoms - 18 feet below the old working - came upon the famous lode which has made the fortune of the mine. No calls have been needed since that time. The company at once entered upon a career of unexampled prosperity. Never since at Huel Virgin, a hundred years ago, the first five weeks and two days working produced £15,300 worth of ore at the cost of a little over £200, had such a discovery been made. The consequences are well known. The shares 1,024 in number, on which only £1 has been paid, have been sold for £850, and though they have had their fluctuations - falling in price in the panic of 1847 – 48 to £150; and again when a false report was circulated of the condition of the mines, in a letter signed “Typhoon”, from £450 to £300 - they are now quoted at £600, and have been sold within the past few weeks at £590. As the present rate of dividend is over 10 per cent on that amount it is not unlikely that they may rise even higher. Seeing that shares which originally cost £1 have realised, and still realise, such enormous prices, it is easy to understand what a literal “mine of wealth” the Devon Great Consols has been to the first proprietors, several of whom are still interested in the undertaking. The number of shareholders was never very large, and we believe the most considerable holders are the directors, Messrs. W. A. Thomas, J. Thomas, T. Morris, and P. Blakeway.
    The statistics we give will show the prosperity of the undertaking has been of the most substantial character. Twenty complete years have elapsed since the mines commenced working, in 1844. In that period 397,396 tons 1cwt. 2qrs of copper ore, were sold for £2, 345,993. 18s. 9d. Up to the present time the sales have been over 400,000 tons, nearly two millions and a half having been received from that source. Excluding the first twelve months, in which the company can hardly be said to have been in full working order, we get the following results: - The smallest quantity of ore sold in one year was in 1846, 13,292 tons 10cwt. 2qs; the largest in 1864, 26,831 tons 7cwt. 2qrs, containing 1,678¼ tons of fine copper. The smallest amount realized was in 1847, £93,610. 3s. 11d; and the largest in 1857, £159,432. 7s. 9d. Last year the copper ore raised produced £130,175. 0s. 8d; and the sales now may exceed 2,000 tons of ore per month. During the twenty years the owner of the property, the Duke of Bedford, received (exclusive of payment for surface damage and premium of £20,000 for the renewal of the lease and extension of the sett) dues to the magnificent amount of £182,036. 9s. 2d. That sum has now been increased to £190,000. His grace has never received less than £7,189. 0s. 11d, which was in 1847; he has received as much as £12,117. 1s. 4d, which was in 1854. To the end of the twenty years £912,384 had been divided amongst the shareholders, but the amount of profit to the present date must be put at £950,000, and by the time the mine shall have completed its twenty-first year, the net profits realized will be little, if at all, short of a million! The year in which the largest amount was divided was the second of the company’s existence, 1846, when, of course, there had been little occasion for expenditure on plant. The dividend for that period reached the aggregate of £72,704. The smallest dividend was declared in 1848, when £15,204. 16s. 4d, was shared among the proprietors. Last year the sum appropriated for dividend was £56,320, and bi-monthly declarations for the current twelve months have been at the rate of over £60,000. Up to the present date the total amount of dividend paid on each share - originally £1 be it recollected - has been £933. These figures will show that the interest on a first investment of £1 in the Devon Great Consols has averaged £44. 11s. a year for the past 20 years, or 4,455 per cent
    This recital of the particulars of the past prosperity of the Devon Great Consols should be supplemented by the statement that there is every prospect that the concern will long continue to hold its high position. Under good management, production and discovery go hand in hand in the working of the mine; and it is usual, at least where the ground is rich, to leave parts of the lodes or mineral veins untouched, fresh explorations being at the same time made. These reserves - as the unworked portions of lodes are called - form the actual ascertained value of a mine. At Devon Consols they are calculated to amount at the present time, exclusive of the halvans, or most inferior quality, to upwards of 70,000 tons. Including the halvans the reserves have a money value approaching half a million. The progress of the works also continually reveals fresh riches, and it was only in May last that a very productive and valuable new lode was cut, from which large quantities rich ore are now being raised. The last report states that the reserves were never greater, nor the prospects of the mine more encouraging.
     The surface works at Devon Great Consols occupy a total area of something like 140 acres, and are so distributed over the length and breadth of the sett that a stranger would be led to imagine that they were several separate concerns. The magnitude of the erections at the several points from which the mine is worked would also tend to induce that belief. Indeed to each of these points the name of a separate mine is given; but however distinct from one another Wheal Maria, Wheal Fanny, Wheal Anna Maria, Wheal Josiah and Wheal Emma may appear to be, they are all connected below, and one may walk underground a distance of two miles and a half from one extremity to the other. Twenty-eight miles of ground have been explored, and one of the shafts – (Richards’s Engine Shaft, named after Captain James Richards, the manager) – has reached a depth of 224 fathoms, or 1,344 feet – over a quarter of a mile. Great, however, as this depth is, there are several mines that far exceed the Devon Great Consols in this particular. At Dukinfield, in Cheshire, there is a coal pit the lowest point of which is 350 fathoms, or 2,100 feet, below the surface; and Fowey Consols in Cornwall has been sunk to about the same depth. There are between five and twenty and thirty shafts at Devon Great Consols; and the principal ones include – Morris’s Engine Shaft, named after Mr. T. Morris, the resident director; Richards’s Engine Shaft, already mentioned; Gard’s Engine Shaft, where the company commenced operations; Hitchens’s, Agnes, and Anna Maria Engine Shafts. The value of the materials and machinery on the mine is estimated at £60,000. Included in this calculation are the following engines and water wheels:- Two steam engines of 40-inch cylinder, 71-horse power each; four steam engines of 30-inch cylinder, 54-horse power each; two steam engines of 24-inch cylinder, 34-horse power each; two locomotive engines, with two 12-inch cylinders each. The two 40-inch engines are employed in pumping; the others in hauling, crushing, etc. There are 33 water wheels on the mine, the principal of which are – two wheels, each 40 feet diameter and 12 feet breast, and of 140-horse power, worked by water from the Tamar, and engaged in pumping from shafts at Wheal Anna Maria (137 fathoms deep) and Wheal Josiah (224 fathoms), about half a mile distant; one wheel, 30 feet diameter, and 10 feet breast, 80-horse power, pumping from Agnes Shaft (185 fathoms); one wheel of 100-horse power, 30 feet diameter and 16 feet breast, forcing up water by plunger lifts from the Tamar a distance exceeding 200 fathoms and 67 fathoms perpendicular height, to a reservoir at Wheal Josiah, at the rate over 500 gallons per minute, for dressing, condensing, and other purposes; two wheels, each of 45-horse power, for pumping and crushing; three wheels, each of 25-horse power for hauling.
    There are no fewer than 1,230 persons employed on the mine, whose wages are about £3,200 per month. They are distributed in the following manner: - Underground – Agents or Captains (10), men and boys, 450. Surface – Agents (10), smiths, carpenters, sawyers, masons, engine-men, railway men, foundry men, and labourers, 259. Dressing department – Men, 136; boys, 168; girls, 217 – 521; total, 780. Grand total, 1,230.
    It is one peculiarity of Devon Great Consols that all the machinery needed – even the steam engines – is made upon the mine. The establishment is indeed of the completest character, and includes a foundry with all its appurtenances; a fitting shop; a large quantity of machinery for executing metal works, including a steam hammer; saw mills driven by water; and a shoeing forge; in addition to the usual smiths’ and carpenters’ shop. The efficiency of the resources of the mechanical department will be apparent when it is stated that one of the large engines was lately removed a considerable distance from one part of the mine to another, re-erected, and at work in 13 days. The mine also possesses a locomotive railway four miles long, terminating in an incline of half a mile at Morwellham, where the company have a ship dock and store ore floors. Branches from the railway penetrate to all the principal parts of the works, running into the main coal yard and store. It will serve still further to illustrate the magnitude of the company’s operations if we state that there are consumed per month about 200 tons of coal, 160 loads of timber, 50 feet per load, and 4,000 pounds of powder; and that the rates and taxes paid to the parish of Tavistock amount annually to about £1,200. Last year £8,340 were expended in timber. In the stores, an extensive building of several floors at Anna Maria, is kept all the miscellaneous articles used upon the mines. The value of the stores was estimated at the time the last balance sheet was made up at £6,000.
    Having thus dealt with the facts of a more general character appertaining to Devon Great Consols, we shall, in subsequent articles, proceed to describe the mine and its method of working in more detail."

9th December 1864.

    The intention of copper mining being of course the raising of the copper ore from the place of its deposit, it is naturally a primary object in the conduct of mining operations to get the greatest amount of ore with the disturbance of the smallest quantity of unprofitable ground. All the underground workings of a mine are carried out with this end in view; and miners confine their excavations to the lode as much as they possibly can. The workings of a coal pit are in like manner limited, so far as that is possible, to the seams of coal. It must not, however, be imagined that the characteristics of coal measures and of metallic veins resemble each other. The former are horizontal, or nearly so; the latter either are, or approach to, the perpendicular. A lode is in fact a fissure in the rock, filled in with various substances, not necessarily of a metallic character; whilst a coal seam is a regularly stratified deposit.
    During the working of a lode the sides of the original fissure - termed the walls of the lode - are exposed, and the contents are often hewn cleanly out, leaving the cavity of the same extent as when it was first formed. Lodes descend to an unascertained depth; and have been followed for miles. Their width and richness are most variable. The main lode at Devon Great Consols has in some parts been more than 50 feet broad; whilst in others it has dwindled to two or three inches. This fact is one of the uncertainties of mining. It is not, however, the biggest parts of a lode that are always the most profitable, nor the smaller that are least so. The former may be so poor as not to be worth working; the latter so rich as to yield good returns. Copper lodes in Devon and Cornwall commonly take a direction east and west. Those at Devon Great Consuls run from between 12 to 15 degrees south of east to north of west. The deviation of a lode from the perpendicular is termed the 'underlie' ; and at Devon Great Consols is, generally speaking, about two feet per fathom. Lodes are frequently interrupted by what are called cross-courses - the results of horizontal displacements of the ground by convulsions of nature after the lode has been formed. Lodes are thus divided and their parts shifted, often for a considerable distance. Therefore when the miner comes to a cross-course he loses the lode which lie has been following; and has then to work after it towards the spot where calculations render it likely that he may meet with it again. Shortly after the discovery of the great lode at Devon Consols a cross-course was met with which shifted it eighty fathoms. This is another of the contingencies that render mining uncertain. It will be seen that the faults of the coal measures are analogous to the cross-courses of the metallic mines, producing precisely the same effects in shifting the minerals, but operating in a perpendicular instead of a horizontal direction.
    These preliminary observations are necessary to an explanation of the principle upon which the Devon Great Consols and other copper mines are worked. A shaft being sunk, sometimes perpendicular, sometimes on the underlie, as the position of the lode renders it expedient, levels are driven from it as its depth increases, at intervals of 10 to 12, 15 or even 20 fathoms. These levels are horizontal passages by which the lode, which is excavated in their formation, is followed, and at Devon Consols they are seven feet high by four feet wide. As the levels are extended, short shafts called “ winzes,” are sunk at intervals (the course of the lode being followed) from one to the other, serving not only for communication, but for ventilation. Sometimes, instead of a winze being sunk, a “rise” is put up: that is to say the connecting shaft is worked upwards from the lower level instead of downwards from the higher. The roof of a level is called its “back,” and its termination an “end.” The ends are necessarily the least ventilated points of a mine, being beyond the operation of the currents of air which flow from level to level through the winzes and the rises; but as the formation of the latter keeps pace with the drivage the level, the evil cannot increase beyond a certain point. From the foregoing it will be understood that when a system of levels, with the attendant winzes and rises, has been carried out on a lode it is, in fact divided by the workings into so many parallelograms. The next stage in mining is to dig these away, and to the place where this operation is in progress the name of "stope" is given. The stopes are worked from the winzes or rises, and as they are cleared away, timber frameworks, called 'stulls', are put in, in order that the ground may be secured, and the communication along the different levels kept up. So great is often the pressure of the superincumbent mass that bulks of timber of great scantle become completely crushed. The stopes may be worked away between several levels in succession, leaving a huge internal cavity called a “gunnis”. Among the many large excavations it of this kind at Devon Consols, one may be mentioned about 150 fathoms (900 feet) long; 40 fathoms(240 feet) deep or high, and of a breadth varying with the width of the lode from 6 to 50 feet. More than two-thirds of the contents of this immense gunnis was sent to the market.
    It was stated above that rises were winzes driven up from below; stopes are worked in the same manner when occasion serves, as a matter of economical arrangement. Whatever is excavated in working downwards must be removed from the working whether it be ore or not; and if the refuse is raised to the surface the expenditure thereby incurred is practically so much money thrown away. If the lode is small, this method of working would be very expensive and wasteful. In driving upwards however all that is necessary to be done is to put in a "stull," to receive the deads or refuse, leaving apertures through which the ore passes into the level below. As the men work they then throw the refuse beneath their feet, where it will not interfere with their operations and whence it needs no removal.
    If to the foregoing remarks is added the explanation that a cross-cut is a passage driven not on the course of a lode but to intersect it, and that an adit is a level driven to daylight on the face of a hill, our readers will have before them a succinct statement of the principles upon which the underground workings are constructed. Though the system seems simple enough, its application though a series of years results in a very complicated labyrinth of subterranean passages and shafts, which in such a mine as Devon Consols are to be compared to nothing less extensive than the streets of a city or large town. What to the visitor is a maze of the most bewildering character is, however, as well known to the miner as his way home, and the different parts of the sinkings are distinguishable by their names as the highways and byeways of Plymouth by theirs. The lodes have each their names ; the three principal at Devon Consols are called the main lode, south lode, and new south lode. The titles of the levels, are taken from their depth from the surface, that which is 90 fathoms down being called the 90 fathom and so on. The winzes rises, and cross-cuts are called by the names of the chief men of the party, or, as the miners say, "pair" of men who commenced them. Thus at Devon Consols there are Mildrem's winze, Trevenen's cross-cut, Gregory’s rise, Woolridge’s lode, and scores of similar appellations. Excavation is conducted by the light of candles in the ordinary way, with the help of powder, the report of the blasting rumbling through the subterranean passages like muffled thunder. At Devon Consols tramways are laid throughout the levels to their debouchments into the shafts. The ore is placed in trucks, and pushed along the rails by men, and on arriving at the shaft it is drawn to the surface either in what is called a "kibble" which somewhat resembles a gigantic iron bucket, or in buckets which work in ways and are called "skips". The former hold about 12 cwt of ore, and the latter a ton. Provisions is made at the entrance of every level for the sending up of the ore, stuff, and "deads" raised therein.
    As a matter of very necessary economical arrangement the pump rods (which extend to the bottom of the shafts) have separate connections with the different levels, so that the water may be raised to the surface from them without flowing to the bottom of the mine, whence it could only be removed at a greatly enhanced expenditure. Another matter of practical economy connected with the pumping of mines is the raising of water to adit levels instead of to the mouth of the shaft.
    A mine is worked by the men employed either upon 'tutwork' or 'tribute'. Tutwork is simply excavation at a stated price per fathom according to the nature of the ground, and it is usually 'set' for two months: that is to say a party or 'pair' of men engage to excavate in a certain part of a mine at such a price per fathom as they may agree upon with the management. In some cases they may do as much as they can at the price in the two months; at others they have a certain number of fathoms given them to do. At Devon Consols, settings are made on each monthly pay day, so that half the mine is dealt with at a time. Tribute is of an entirely different character from tutwork. The tributor engages to raise ore from a spot set at the tribute of a certain number of shillings in the £, the amount varying with the richness of the mineral and the hardness of the rock. The more money the ore which tributers raise produces the more money they get. Tutwork and tribute are thus both piece work, and both speculative. Men may be able from favourable circumstances to raise more ore or drive more fathoms than was calculated when the setting was made; but, on the other hand, the rock may prove harder than was anticipated or the lode poorer. No engagement, however, lasts more than two months, and by the end of that time arrangements fair to both parties will be made. Tutwork prices will vary from £18 to £2 per fathom; and it may be added that in the last report a portion of one of the lodes was stated to be worth £200 per fathom. There is very little tribute work done at Devon Consols.
    The miners at Devon Great Consols descend and ascend the shafts by ladders, which is a severe tax upon their energies, as the writer of these articles - having in the course of his visits to the mine gone down to the 115 fathom, level (690 feet) - can testify. It takes the men about one hour to ascend from the bottom - 224 fathoms. Few, however, work at that depth. The labour is hard enough without the climbing; and we are glad to be able to state that a man engine will shortly be erected at a centrally situated shaft, which will relieve the men of this intense and unproductive fatigue. There have been difficulties in the way of taking this step; but these have now happily been removed.
    As regards ventilation, one of the most important points bearing on the health of the miner, Devon Great Consuls must be favourably spoken of. The excellent draught through the levels and winzes renders the air remarkably pure. In the course of two hours underground the writer, even in the ends, never felt the atmosphere - the smoke of the powder excepted - so oppressive as at many an ordinary public meeting, and the smoke cleared away rapidly. Into some of the ends, air is introduced by wooden trunks; and the motion of the trucks is said to assist the ventilation by agitating the atmosphere as they pass to and fro. Lower down than the 115 fathom level the ventilation is, of course, not so good, but it is stated to be even there far superior to that of most mines.
    It has been before stated that the miners work in pairs or parties. Ordinarily each party is portioned into three sections, one of which is always at work, each 24 hours being divided into three 'cores'. Under this system one section would go on at six in the morning, and work until two in the afternoon, the second would go on at two, and work until ten; and the third would complete the day by working from ten to six. Thus each man would be underground eight hours a day. At Devon Consols there are, however, few night cores; and it is said that the company and the miners alike reap the benefit of this change of system.
    The Royal Commissioners, who visited Devon Consols amongst the mines which they inspected reported that there is a want of accommodation for the miners at the mines generally, and recommended that suitable places should be provided in which the men might change their clothes before and after work, and that means should be given them by drying their labouring apparel. It is complained that the Commissioners have been too sweeping in their condemnations; and that in censuring those mines where the men are not cared for, they have neglected to give credit to those in which they are. Devon Great Console should certainly have been excepted; for at the mines belonging to the company 'drys' are fitted up for the men, in which they can shift comfortably ; provision being made for the drying of the wet clothes over flues or steam pipes. Each man has also a lock-up cupboard; and hot water is supplied to those who want it. The 'dry' at Wheal Emma gives the best accommodation, and we believe that improvements are contemplated which will bring the others up to that mark. It is only fair to the company that these facts should be stated, in order that it may not be mistakenly supposed that the health and comfort of the men are so little cared for as from the general observations of the Mines Commissioners' report might be imagined. Throughout the establishment there are places in which the men, girls, and boys may take their meals in warmth and comfort, hot water for tea or coffee being available, and ovens being provided in which the food they bring with them may be warmed. There are persons in charge of these places who give the requisite attendance. At the main dressing floor the accommodation for the boys and girls is comprised in a spacious room well warmed by a central flue, along which are placed seats on which they may sit and warm their feet. They are allowed to come to this place and warm themselves during working hours; and at meal times the boys and girls are kept separate and good order is preserved.
    As a matter of great importance in its bearing upon the safety of the miners, it should also he noticed that throughout Devon Consols copper tamping bars are used; with the best results in preventing the deplorable accidents from explosion so frequent where the iron bars are employed. Great care is also exercised in giving out the powder, which is only served to the men in small quantities.
    In the next article the surface operations at Devon Great Consols will come under review.

16th. December 1864.

    Having in our previous article on Devon Great Consols described the manner in which the ore is raised and bought to the surface, the next operation that demands our attention is its preparation for market - technically called the dressing of the ore. This is carried on in places called dressing floors. The dressing of ore consists in its separation, as far as may be, from the substances of an unmetalliferous character with which it is commonly mixed; in assorting it into different quantities according to its richness and consequent value; and in bringing it, by stamping or crushing, to a semi-sandy condition. Due care is naturally taken in the conduct of this process that whilst that which is worthless shall be got rid of, any ore that will pay for conveyance to the smelting furnaces, and for reduction into metal there, shall be saved for that purpose. Many of the contrivances by which these objects are accomplished are exceedingly ingenious, and the process of dressing is altogether of a very interesting character, and one that would repay investigation by the stranger to mines and mining work.
    There are several dressing floors at Devon Great Consols ; but the main floor is situated at Wheal Anna Maria, and from it our description of the process will be derived.
    The ore on being hauled up from below is taken to the floors; and the large masses broken up by men with sledges into smaller pieces—a process called 'spalling'. After undergoing this operation it is taken to the 'cobbers' - young women - who with hammers break it into yet smaller portions, in the manner best calculated to enable them to sort it into qualities, and to separate and throw away the refuse. The necessity for some such operation will be apparent when it is considered that the ore is found in the lode in connection with a variety of quartzose and similarly worthless matter, from which it can only be separated by a process of disintegration. Cobbing answers this end well enough for the separation of the better ore when it is in sufficiently large pieces. The ore stuff which is too small for the cobbers, or at least, is small enough not to need being broken smaller, is treated in a different manner. It is first ' sized' by being passed in succession through a couple of riddles or sieves, the first having inch apertures and the second half-inch or five-eighths. The ore that remains in the riddles is taken to the 'tables' - a kind of high benches on which kneel the 'picking girls', children whose duty it is to pick over and sort what is brought to them, casting aside the refuse. The finer stuff - that which passes through both riddles - is 'jigged', either by boys by hand, or in what is called the jigging machine - the principle being the same in both cases. A jigging machine may be roughly described as a box into which the small - in fact sandy - ore stuff is put, and 'jigged' or shaken. Then, by the operation of specific gravity, the particles of ore, being heavier than the refuse material with which they are mixed, fall to the bottom; so that when the jigging has been continued long enough, a tolerably accurate division of the contents of the machine is made, and the refuse is then skimmed off. To make the separation more complete the stuff thus concentrated is jigged over again, each repetition of the process resulting in greater purity.
    Copper ore is divided into three qualities; the best being termed 'prill ore', the second 'dredge ore', and the third 'halvans'. After the first two have been separated from the third by the processes above described, they have only to be stamped or crushed to render them fit for market. Stamping is performed by iron headed wooden pestles contained in a framework, which are lifted by cams on a wheel, and fall by their own weight on the ore placed beneath. Stamps driven by water power are in very common use; but at Devon Great Consols the work is performed by crushers driven by steam. The ore falls from a hopper between two large iron rollers or 'rolls', which work into each other, and rapidly revolve. As the crushed ore falls from the rolls it encounters a sieve. This causes that which has not been made small enough to fall to one side into a huge wheel, which brings it up in scoops disposed around its interior circumference to the upper storey of the mill, whence it passes between the rolls again. The dressing of prill and dredge ore are completed when they have been crushed to the required fineness.
    Crushing is, however, only the beginning of the end with the halvans, the ore in which is thinly disseminated throughout a large quantity of refuse matter, which of course has to be got rid of, as far as that is possible to be done. This end is attained by the aid of water, and the operation of the laws of specific gravity. These agents are applied to the work in a singularly ingenious and affective manner at Devon Great Consols, the credit of which is due to the chief dressing agent of that concern, Capt Isaac Richards. We can only indicate briefly the character of the very extensive halvan dressing arrangements upon this mine, which are well worthy of notice, as illustrating the economical results of well applied skill. The truth of this observation will be patent from the fact that nothing that contains so apparently insignificant a proportion of mineral as 4 per cent is thrown away.
    The stuff is washed in mechanical solution from the halvan crusher by a stream of water, in which it passes along to the dressing machinery, which sorts it, before the separating process begins, into eight sizes. The finer portions, called in miners’ parlance the 'slime', are the first to be separated. The launder or wooden channel conveying the ore-charged water terminates in a little cistern. In the bottom of this there is a pipe, through which water flows from a height of some feet, and forcing its way up keeps the contents of the cistern in constant agitation. The result of the continuous movement is to drive the finer particles of the ore stuff which are almost in the state of dust - to the top, whence they run off into a channel by an outlet so constructed as only to permit the passage of the surface water. The separation of the remaining seven sizes is affected by round revolving riddles, and by a sizing wheal in the buckets of which the heavier parts of the stuff are deposited and washed out again into a launder, by the force of jets of water coming through pipes. After the sizing of the crushed halvans the process of separation is carried on by means of jigs and round 'buddles', the former taking the rougher, and the latter the finer portions. It is necessary in order that the jigging should be successful that all the stuff in a machine should be as nearly of a size as possible; and the same remark applies to the buddles, the nature of which has now to be explained. The buddles in use at Devon Consols are round shallow pits, in the centre of which there is a large upright funnel. This funnel is made to revolve on a pivot by water power, and a launder conveys into it the water carrying the ore stuff. The water and stuff run out again by an opening immediately below the outlet revolving with the funnel, that an equal flow over every part of the buddle is secured whilst a piece of wood sweeps round upon the surface and keeps the solid contents of the apparatus smooth. A buddle operates in a very simple, but none the less effective manner. As the water issues from the central aperture it has a considerable amount of force, which it, of course, loses as it operates over a larger area in flowing to the circumference. The effect of this diminution of power is this - that whilst at the centre the water is able to move the grains of ore, in its progress to the circumference its force is reduced, and it is able only to remove the refuse, which is considerably lighter than the metalliferous matter with which it was mixed. Thus the richest ore collects in the middle of the buddle, and the worthless sand at the outside, the quality of the contents graduating from one to the other. The refuse is thrown away, and the remainder again buddled, the process being repeated until the ore is considered sufficiently pure. The slime is treated in what are called slime dressing machines. The slime water flows on to an endless belt of painted canvas, forming an inclined plane, continually moving upwards. The water flowing off leaves the solid matter on the canvas; and a stream of clean water then washes off the lighter the refuse portions. The ore remains on the canvas until its position is reversed, when it falls into trucks placed underneath to receive it. These slime frames are Brenton’s patent, but have been considerably improved since their introduction at Devon Consols. Before they were brought into use the slime was dressed by a process called trunking. The whole of the numerous riddles, jigs, buddies, and frames at the, main halvan floor are worked by water power.
    The water flowing from the dressing of the halvans deposits its sand in pits formed for the purchase and then passes through filtering banks before it is allowed to fall into the Tamar - of the fishery of which stream, by the way, the Devon Great Consols Company are the lessees.
    Our notice of the dressing operations at this mine would be incomplete did we omit to state that the dressing floors, &c., are well furnished with tramways, inclines and other means of economising labour; and that sheds are provided to shelter the people whilst at work. The ore crusher will crush twenty tons per hour; the halvans crusher sixty tons in the day of nine hours.
    One of the surface operations at Devon Great Consols peculiarly interesting, as an inexpensive and effective application of a scientific process. We allude to the precipitate works, which are there carried on more efficiently, and it is said to a larger extent than at any other place. The water from copper mines holds that metal in chemical solution, which is the cause of their poisonous character. By the process of precipitation the copper is taken from the water in a marketable state, with the additional advantage of rendering the fluid less hurtful, if not entirely innocuous. Where the water is suited for precipitation all that is necessary to be done is to let it flow over pieces of iron. The copper is then immediately deposited, and the iron taken up instead, in its turn to be thrown down as an ochreous oxide. Usually this operation, is conducted in shallow pits - called strips, divided breadthways into compartments. The great objection to this plan is that by it the ochre - which forms most rapidly in summer - and the copper become mixed, and, inasmuch as their scientific gravity is much the same, cannot be separated. Captain Isaac Richards has however cleverly contrived a mode of proceeding which entirely meets and overcomes this difficulty. He has erected decagonal wooden cisterns, several feet across, on the tiled bottom of which the iron is placed. In each cistern is what lie calls a sprinkler - a hollow wooden framework poised on a pivot, with several radiating arms, nearly as long as the cistern’s radius. The water having been filtered is conveyed by a launder to the funnel-shaped centre of this framework, into the arms of which it flows, and issuing thence from holes pierced in their sides gives to the machine a rotary motion by its impingement against the air. In this way the water is sprinkled equally over the whole of the iron in the cistern, without being permitted to lie upon the metal, flowing out at the same rate at which it enters, and washing with it the deposited copper, which falls free from any ochreous admixture into a pit immediately outside the place of exit. The water is run in succession over two sprinklers, and is then filtered from the iron in solution in an ochre bed. By Capt Richards’s excellent plan - which is in process of considerable extension at Devon Consols - therefore, both the copper and the ochre are marketable, and the waste is of a very insignificant character. It takes about three tons of iron to precipitate a ton of copper; and a considerable portion of that iron would be useless for any other purpose, in consequence of the previous action of the mine water upon it. A more profitable way of disposing of the iron scraps that of necessity accumulate about such a large establishment it would be impossible to devise. They are simply broken up to the proper size, and cleaned from rust by being put into a closed cylinder worked in water by a water wheel, in which they rub against each other. The precipitate works themselves require scarcely any labour. The iron has only to be put in and turned over now and then, and the resulting copper and ochre to be sifted and dried - which is most rapidly effected over an engine fire. Otherwise they are entirely self-acting. It is a singular fact that the copper lies on the cast iron to such an extent as to require to be removed by scrubbing with ,a broom, whilst it is washed off by the water from the wrought iron as fast as deposited. The best precipitate contains about 55 per cent of copper, and fetches about £48 per ton, the common ore averaging £5 5s. It has been suggested that the very small proportion of copper which remains in the waste sand from the buddies and the jigs, should be dissolved out by acid, and precipitated in the manner just described. Whenever this is done there will be practically scarce an atom of the metal wasted.
    In the next article the conveyance of the produce from the mine to the sampling floor, and the method of sale will be desrcribed.

23rd. December 1864.

    Devon Great Consols is, we believe, the only copper mine - indeed the only mine of any description in the Western Counties that uses locomotive power in the conveyance of its produce. The ore is shipped from quays at Morwellham, on the Tamar; and half a dozen years since its carriage thither from the mine over the roads by carts and horses used. to cost about 5s per ton - no inconsiderable addition to the expenditure on production. In November, 1859, however, a railway which had been constructed by the company at an outlay of about £10,000 was opened, and by that means the ore is now carried at a little over 1s. per ton - four-fifths of the former expenditure on carriage being thus saved. The railway, although an expensive, has therefore been a very profitable undertaking.
    The line is about four miles long; is on the narrow gauge; and in its course sweeps circuitously round the hills that overhang the Tamar, commanding a succession of the most delightful views the scenery of that notably beautiful river includes. It would add much to the enjoyment of the summer excursionists up the Tamar if, leaving their steamers at Morwellham, they could take a trip upon the Devon Great Consols Railway. Though not, that we are aware of, licensed for passenger traffic, it is as well constructed as many a passenger line; and judging from a ride over it in a cushioned ore truck, it certainly is quite as comfortable as a means of transit. The greatest gradient is one in 48. The line terminates in an incline about half a mile long, the steepest part of which is at a gradient of one in three, and which communicates with the quays at Morwellham. A laden train takes about 20 minutes to go from the mine to the head of this incline; where there is a stationary engine to lower the full trucks, and to bring up the return ones, by means of a wire rope. Two trucks descend and two others ascend at a time one pair reaching the bottom at the same moment that the other pair reach the top. Midway on the incline where they cross each other there is a double line of rails. The ascending trucks are most frequently empty; but by them is brought up the whole of the coals and timber used not only upon Devon Great Consols, but in some adjoining mines, which pay the former company for the carriage of ores and materials. The Bedford United, Collacombe, and West Maria and Fortescue mines, are thus customers of Devon Consols, the former having a branch line to its dressing floors. There are also branches to all the more important parts of the Devon Consols establishment, the principal dressing floors, the coal yards, tile stores, &c. The line is worked by two locomotives.
    The ore floors of the company at Morwellham are several acres in extent, and have a dock in the middle capable of accommodating six vessels of about 300 tons burden. Ships of that size, however, rarely come up the river, and the average burden would be more nearly 200 tons. The trucks run out over the floors from the incline on staging, so constructed that when the bottoms of the trucks - which slide backwards and forwards - are drawn out, their contents fall through upon the floor, which is tiled. Every truck load of ore when sent from the mine is ticketed with its quality, and this ticket guides the men in unloading. Each kind being deposited by itself, the heaps are turned over and thoroughly mixed as a preliminary to subsequent operations. For sale the ore is divided into 'parcels' and subdivided into 'doles' - a work which is effected in a very peculiar manner and with singular rapidity by the men employed on the floors. Fourteen men are usually engaged in the operation of dividing, twelve being occupied in pairs, carrying the ore in handbarrows, one as a 'wiper', and one as a 'striker'. The parcels of ore are the lots in which it is offered for sale, and the quantity in each is generally kept within 100 tons. The doles are the heaps into which the parcels are divided, there being commonly six. They are formed in the following way :— The carriers fill their barrows from a heap of thoroughly mixed ore - the contents of each being struck level with the edges by the wiper - and then turn them out at one spot, the striker giving the bottoms of the barrows as they are reversed a blow with a mallet, so that every particle of ore is knocked out. The carriers next round is deposited at another point, and so they proceed until the whole of the doles have been commenced, when they go in succession to each as before until the entire parcel has been distributed. A barrow load is weighed at intervals, and as it is known how many go to a dole the weight of the parcel can be estimated with considerable accuracy. The men engaged in this work labour very hard, each barrow containing two hundred weight; but they obtain some relief by taking turns to wipe and strike.
    The ore is now ready for 'sampling' by the various smelting companies, which number only about a dozen. Their agents visit Morwellham once a month, and take portions, which they mix, from a couple of the doles in each parcel, selected by themselves. The samples thus obtained being subsequently assayed give the data upon which the smelters, who are the sole purchasers tender for the ore at the monthly 'ticketings', or sales; held in the case of the Devon Great Consols at Truro, three weeks after the sampling. At the ticketings the representatives of the mines having ore for sale and of the smelters meet, and the latter hand in a list of the prices termed tickets, that they will give for each parcel of ore sampled. Of course a parcel goes to the highest bidder; and in case, as frequently happens, the same amount is offered by more than one, the parcel is shared. The tenders rarely differ much, and the demand always meets the supply. The week after the ticketing the smelters’ agents again attend at the floors to weigh what has been purchased, a dole being weighed to determine the weight of a parcel, and to sample for the next ticketing. The proportion of water in the ore, usually about five per cent, is also ascertained, and a corresponding allowance made. The chair at the ticketings is always taken by the representative of the mine having the most ore on sale; the result of which rule has been that Devon Great Consols has presided at Truro ever since it commenced to sell. As the company sample about 2,000 tons per month it follows that they have on sampling days 4,000 tons of ore, at least, on their floors. The floors and dock were carried out by the company under contract for the Duke of Bedford, at the same time that they made their railway.
    From the foregoing it will be seen that Morwellham is a place of considerable traffic. The exports would appear to be rather under than over estimated at 3,000 tons per month, the tines on which are a part of the Bedford property. Its connection with the mining interest will explain the otherwise somewhat unaccountable fact, that a small river village should possess an inn which would well do duty as the hotel of a smart country town.
    The sale of the ore to the smelters would be generally regarded as completing the mining operations ; but it is proposed to increase the establishment at Devon Consols by the erection of a calcining house. In this the low produce ore - arsenical pyrite - would be roasted, and the arsenic and sulphur driven off, to be collected in the usual manner, the residue, which is thrown away in arsenic works, being washed in order that the copper it contains might be obtained by precipitation. The higher class low produce ores would also then be passed through the first process of smelting on the mine, and by reduction to a concentrated from 15 to 20 per cent. This would effect a considerable saving in carriage and in other ways.
    Nearly the whole of the hands employed on the mine work upon the piece system, which is introduced wherever it can be used. The 'pickers', who come to work in many cases as early as eight years of age, are, however, paid by time, their wages ranging from 4d, when they first come, up to 8d a day. From pickers the girls become cobbers, and can then get by piece work 1s a day, in some cases 1s 2d, or 1s 3d. The appearance of the girls employed in the dressing floors at Devon Consols is a sufficient indication that whatever may be said of the work of the miner, their employment cannot be deemed injurious. They look the picture of robust health. The boys when of sufficient age go from the dressing floors underground, and take men’s places as soon as they are able. The average wages of a miner may be estimated at £3 12s a month; those of the men at the dressing floors at £3 5s; whilst the men employed as dividers, weighers, and shippers at Morwellham who also work by the piece, get from £4 to £4 l0s. The carpenters, smiths, and other mechanics receive the customary wages of the trade. There is a doctor and sick club on the mine, under the management of the company, to which the employees pay in fixed proportions, having the power of choosing a medical attendant for themselves. Nothing is paid by any whose wages are under 8d a day; but as soon as they get that sum they pay 4d a month for the doctor, and when they get a shilling they pay 6d. They do not pay to the sick fund until they become men, or get 1s 6d a day. Then 9d a month is paid for the doctor, and 6d for the sick fund. The advantages derivable from these are medical attendance for themselves and families, and an allowance of 4s a week whilst illness may unfit them for working. If injured in the mine £1 a month is paid in addition by the company so long as it may be required. Provision is also made for cases of distress; and suitable employment on the establishment is found for men who have become incapacitated for manual labour. In case of fatal accident those dependent on the deceased are assisted by the company; and it is a rule of the mine that each of the men employed upon it shall in such cases subscribe 1s for their relief.
    There is a school well fitted up at the mine, with an efficient schoolmistress paid by the company; and the children of the employees attend at small charges.
    The captains necessarily live upon the mine, and some of their residences command wide and picturesque prospects of the most pleasing character. A number of the miners and other workmen also live there; and the remainder find habitations at Tavistock, Gunnislake, South Sydenham, Lamerton, and elsewhere in the neighbourhood. Those who reside on the mine are in some measure a community to themselves, and find great solace for their isolation in music. Vocal and instrumental concerts of a very pleasant character are sustained among the families of the principal agents; and a brass band - known as the Devon Great Consols Brass Band - meets regularly for practice under the direction of Capt Cock. Sacred music is also much practiced in connection with the choirs of places of worship in the vicinity.
    A visitor to the mine will be most forcibly and agreeably struck with the good order and decent conduct everywhere apparent. If all accounts be true, the 'bal girls' of many a mine in Cornwall might well take a lesson from the females employed at Devon Consols. Among hundreds of men, young women, boys, and girls, the writer in the course of three days never saw an improper action, nor heard an improper word. No smoking is allowed. The girls at the dressing floors are very fond of singing psalms and hymns whilst at work, and their vocal efforts really have a very pleasing effect. Perhaps the general tendency to good which prevails can hardly be more strongly indicated than by the fact that upwards of 700 copies of the British Workmen and Band of Hope are sold on the mine monthly.
    Such facts as these reflect the greatest credit upon those under whom the operations of the mine are conducted: and chiefly on Captain James Richards, who has been the manager nearly since the commencement; Captain Clemo, the second agent; and Captain Isaac Richards, the chief dressing agent. To these gentlemen, together with everyone else connected with the concern with whom he had to do in collecting the materials for these articles it is but fitting that the writer, in concluding his account of the Devon Great Consols, should return his thanks for their unvarying courtesy and the ready manner in which they imparted, regardless of the trouble it might entail, whatever information be desired. Thanks are specially due to Mr Morris, the resident director, for the kind manner in which, immediately on being applied to, he gave every facility for a thorough inspection or the works of the mine, both at the surface and underground.

Extracted from the Tavistock Gazette. May 19th 1865.
With kind permission from the Editor, Tavistock Times and Gazette.

WHEAL CLITTERS: Starting a new engine.

     A large company interested in mining assembled on Saturday last to celebrate the starting of a new Engine on the above mine, which is situated about half-a-mile from Gunnislake, and for the lovers of the picturesque commands an extensive range of very beautiful scenery. Below the spectator the River Tamar winds its sinuous course between banks of lofty verdure, which at this season of the year appear in all their leafy glory. On one side are to be seen the summits of the Cornish hills and on the other the broad expanse of Dartmoor with its rugged tors, and grey sides, while within these sterile, but imposing boundaries, the eye rests upon an undulating country in rich cultivation, and of unsurpassed verdure. It imparted a feeling of deep pleasure that so much natural beauty was within such an easy distance of Tavistock.
    But the practical purpose of the day soon recalled attention from the charms of nature to the claims of art, and the gathering crowd round the new engine house reminded us that we were on a mine, where prospects under, and not above the ground, formed the alluring attraction. We need not tell our readers that the ceremony of starting an engine is a purely formal one, and that it mainly serves the purpose of justifying a good dinner, and the indulgence of a day’s pleasure. Miners believe in a dinner, and to their greater praise be it said, in the virtues of hospitality. The engine to be started, was made, as were the other engines on the mine, by our townsmen, Messers Nicholls, Williams and Co. and is in their best style of workmanship. It has a 40 inch cylinder, a ten-feet stroke, and though nominally of 50 horse power, can be worked to a much higher power. It was greatly admired.
    When all the preliminaries were completed Mr. Nicholls took his stand on the elevated platform of the engine house and addressed the assembled crowd. He said the starting of a new engine was not only a great event for the neighbourhood, inasmuch as by the prosecution of mining the demand for labour was increased. Thousands of hard workingmen gained their living by working underground, and a new mine gave them more work. It had been determined, he said, that as the mine had so greatly benefited by the exertions and support of their respected friend Mr. Skinner, to call the new shaft by his name – (cheers).
    Mr. Skinner then broke a bottle of wine on the beam and the engine started on what we hope will be a long career of profitable working, amid the hearty cheers of the company.
    Wheal Clitters has been worked for many years, and a very large amount of ore has been raised from time to time. Of late years, however, it fell into a languishing state owing to that cause which affects the health of so many mines, viz, want of capital. While in this condition it passed into the hands of Messers Skinner & Sons, and by them with the assistance they were enabled to obtain for it, the mine has become possessed of an influential and moneyed proprietary, who intend to develop its resources and give it a thorough trial. Practical miners have the highest opinion of the capabilities of the ground. It has no less than twelve lodes, many of them as we have said, bearing a rich burden of copper and tin, and large as have been the returns already, they will be still greater now that ample engine power is at the command of the adventurers.
    The party afterwards dined in a building close by. Mr. J. Skinner presided, and the vice-presidents were Mr. Thomas Nicholls and Mr. Joseph Matthews. Amongst those present we noticed Captain N. Seccombe, Captain J. Gifford (Crebor), Captain J. Richards (Colcharten), Captain J. Hoskin (Drakewalls), Captain Phillips (Bedford United), Captain W. Cullom (Okel Tor), Captain W. Jury (Kit Hill), Captain J. Bray (Wheal Russell), Captain G. Rowe (Edward), Captain Rodda (Clitters), Messers F.A. Jackson, R. Luxton, W. Tremayne, W. Criper, E. Straker, T. Horswill, J. Nicholls, W. Matthews, W. E. Commins, H. Nicholls, G. Doidge, T.W. Greenfield, Bray, J. Harvey, J. Williams, - Sims, &c.
    After dinner and the usual loyal toasts Mr. Thomas Nicholls proposed “Success to the Mine”. He called attention to the numbers of persons who were engaged in mining operations, and who were interested more or less in their success. Every successful mine was a great benefit to the country; for it added to the wealth of the country, and gave employment to hundreds and thousands of the working classes. They had met together to witness an important event. They had seen the starting of an engine which he hoped would be the means of brining to the surface the mineral wealth which he believed existed underground at Clitters, and they would all respond heartily to the toast of “Success to the Mine”. Clitters was not a new undertaking. It had been worked for many years with some degree of success; but until the erection of an engine they were without the means which would enable them to carry on the work with spirit; and if they had met with any success in times past without the aid of machinery they might reasonably hope for greater success in the future, now that their requirements in that respect had been met by the erection of engines, which would enable them to do all their pumping, hauling, crushing and stamping by steam power. He had no doubt that there would be one more call, and after that had been made he trusted they would have dividends instead of calls (hear, hear). Their worthy chairman (Mr. Skinner) was entitled to a great deal of credit for what he had done at Clitters. He had stuck to the mine through thick and thin, and, with a spirit of enterprise which made him respected by all, had given his support when support was most needed, hoping and trusting that the money he expended would ultimately be returned to him with interest – (hear, hear). This was the way all mining adventurers should contemplate their speculations. They should never give up as long as there was any reasonable hope. He (the speaker) had more than hope concerning the future of Clitters. He had reason for believing that the mine would be a paying one, and that those who had become adventurers in it would not be sorry for so doing. With reference to mining generally, he could not point them out surer proof of its results in that neighbourhood than the rapid growth of Tavistock and Gunnislake. If it had not been for mining Tavistock would not have been what it was then, and if it had not been for the success of the mines would there have been such a place – such a rapidly improving place, as Gunnislake? No, most of them knew what a poor town Tavistock was before mining was extensively carried on in its neighbourhood, and many persons could remember when Gunnislake consisted of only a few houses. Those improvements were the effect of successful mining, and he had no doubt that the ultimate success of Clitters would contribute towards advancing those improvements. The speaker then called attention to Lord Kinniard’s Bill. He had been struck with astonishment to find that Parliament could for one moment think of accepting such an obnoxious Bill – (hear, hear). He felt that it would be most injurious to the best interests of mining, and he was not the only one who felt so. In Cornwall many meetings had held, and resolutions condemning the Bill had been unanimously adopted. He hoped the mining men in that neighbourhood would follow in the footsteps of their Cornish brethren, and let the members of Parliament know that no such Bill was wanted – (hear, hear). It was the duty of the mining men to petition against the Bill, for it would effect in mining operations a change which would do a vast amount of injury. He for one, entered his protest against the adoption of such a measure, and he hoped they would do the same – (hear, hear). Mr. Nicholls concluded his speech by again wishing success to the mine, and coupling with the toast the name of Captain Seccombe.
    The toast having been warmly received, Captain Seccombe returned thanks for the compliment which they had paid him. He fully believed that the mine would be a paying concern. He knew a great deal about it for he had been until recently connected with it as its agent, and from what he knew of it he felt sanguine – that if the mine was properly developed it would soon bring in returns. If they were to put the mine on tut-work and open up the ground, they would not be long before they had a dividend from the purser.
    The Chairman proposed “The Contractors”. He said the engines gave general satisfaction, and were most skilfully constructed.
    Mr. Nicholls responded on behalf of the firm. He thanked them for the hearty way in which they had drunk the health of the contractors. It was a source of gratification to him to know that they were pleased. He trusted that their success would be such that they would soon want additional engines – (laughter).
    The Chairman next gave “Health to the Engineer”. Mr. Matthews had done his work excellently, and was deserving of their best thanks.
    Mr. W. Matthews suitably responded, and in his course of observations, regretted the absence of Captain Skewis – (hear, hear). Their respected agent had had the misfortune to break his leg, and he was unable to leave his house, but he (the speaker) hoped that they would see him amongst them again at the next meeting –(hear, hear).
    Mr. Straker having responded for “The Strangers” and Mr. Criper for “The Shareholders” the Chairman proposed “The Health of the Agents”.
    Captain Rodda thanked them for the toast. He was exceedingly sorry his worthy colleague, Captain Skewis was not there, owing to his serious accident –(hear, hear). He (Captain Rodda) had no doubt whatever concerning the ultimate success of the mine. The present indications were of a most satisfactory character. There was the Bonney Lode in the Adit Level, from which nearly £20,000 worth of ore had already been taken –(applause). That lode would itself speak for what they had to expect below that level, which was five fathoms above the base of the River Tamar, below which all the wealth of Old Gunnislake had been discovered. About 100 fathoms north of the Bonney Lode there was another lode called the Tin Lode, on which the level had only been driven about fifteen fathoms, and from which only a few fathoms had been stoped. The ore taken from it had turned out exceedingly well. In that end (the East) they had a good course of tin. That lode was standing unwrought throughout the entire length of the sett, which extended for nearly 900 fathoms. There was nothing done above or below the adit. They had another south lode, called Crease’s Lode, on the back of which they had put down a shoad-pit, and found the lode yield from fifty to sixty shillings worth of ore per fathom. That from a shoad-pit was unusual. Below the Adit Level in that part of the mine they had found some good parcels of copper ore, which, on being sent to the market, had realised £25 per ton. He had every confidence in the future prosperity of the undertaking – (hear, hear).
    A few other toasts having been given, the party shortly afterwards separated.

Extracted from the Tavistock Gazette 21st. June 1861.
With kind permission of the Editor, Tavistock Times and Gazette

Another of those melancholy accidents which are of so frequent occurrence in this neighbourhood, took place on Tuesday last at East Wheal Russell. A young man named Nicholas Down, of Morwellham, while working at the above mine, fell down a shaft twenty fathoms and broke his leg.

Extracted from the Tavistock Gazette 4^th. May 1866.
With the kind permission of the Editor, Tavistock Times and Gazette.

About a hundred years since an adit or day level was driven by a company of gentlemen engaged in working mines in a cliff between the town of Marazion and Perranuthanoe church town, a little above high-water mark: the result was that lodes were discovered which yielded returns of copper ore amounting to several hundred thousand pounds. Subsequently this level was driven near the village of Goldsithney, and about twenty lodes were discovered running in a parallel direction; these lodes are intersected by various east and west lodes, as well as cross lodes. Many of the latter yield immense quantities of the hematite and white iron ores. Some of the latter ores are said to contain silver. Four or five of these lodes only have been wrought on – Huel, Caroline, Neptune, Charlotte, Trenow Consols and the Tolvadden Mines. Suddenly the stream of water issuing from these or other lodes has changed its appearance from the red oxide of iron to the strongest copper or mineral water ever seen, probably, in the county – in fact, the whole beach where this stream runs over turns everything it comes in contact with as green as malachite, to the astonishment to everyone who has seen it, and quite a sensation has been caused in the neighbourhood. Several gentlemen have visited the spot, many of whom have had great experience in mines in various parts of the world, but all agree they have never in all their experience seen any water so strongly impregnated with copper as this water appears to be. The inference is that something volcanic has occurred, and that this water is issuing from a great deposit of copper ore not yet discovered in some of the parallel lodes.

January 20th, through an accident at Wheal Robert Mine, Thomas Chubb, aged 14 years.

Clitter’s Adit is working with spirit. Upwards of ten tons of tin will soon be in the market, and larger sales will follow. Two new engines for pumping and hauling are ordered from the Bedford Iron Works, Tavistock, which will give ample power for working the mine.

Extracted from the Tavistock Gazette 26th March 1858.
With kind permission from the Editor, Tavistock Times and Gazette.

It is our painful duty to record another accident of a very serious nature which occurred at East Wheal Russell Mine, on Friday last, by a young man called Henry Reed, was severely injured; so much, so that fears are entertained of his recovery. From what we can gather, it appears that a heavily laden kibble, was being drawn up the shaft, but before it reached the surface, the rope attached to it broke, causing it to descend at a fearful velocity to the bottom, where it came in contact with the unfortunate man, greatly mutilating one of his legs, which has since been amputated, and causing other severe injuries.

From the Western Morning News, 10th February 2001.
With kind permission from the Editor, Western Morning News.

On April 6th 1846 a sudden rainstorm swept across Newlyn East with devastating consequences. Scott Harrison revisits Cornwall's worst mining disaster - East Wheal Rose.

    The terror in their faces was hidden by this blackened world. Their screams for help were heard by no one but themselves as they scrambled through the darkness in a desperate search for safety.
    As the muddied water cascaded upon them they must have felt abandoned by the world above, the 37 men and boys who were lost in Cornwall's worst mining disaster.
   In a dangerous profession where death was common as the people it attracted, it is ironic that the victims of the East Wheal Rose disaster met their fate not through an explosion, not through the collapse of a mining shaft but from the heaven's above as an isolated but torrential downpour consigned them all to death by drowning.
   In many respects, it was another unremarkable day in Newlyn East on April 6th, 1846, the heavy clouds above providing ample evidence that rain was a certainty.
   The East Wheal Rose was one of the country's most prosperous lead mining setts, providing jobs to men, women and children in West Cornwall, 1,266 in all.
   The mine was set in a basin, surrounded almost entirely by high-ground, with only the narrow Lappa Valley providing it with any form of natural drainage when the rains set in.
   A small river ran through the valley and the precarious position of the mine and its ten northward shafts had long been recognised by its owners.
   A long-established and well rehearsed - given the nature of Cornwall's weather - action plan was in place.
   When the rains set in workers would be instructed to clear leats to ensure proper drainage.
   As an added precaution, men would build protective collars of earth and timber at the entrance to each shaft to prevent the threat of water from interfering with the day's schedule and, ultimately, the company's profits.
   April 6th, 1846 was different, however. By 1pm the rainfall gave way to a downpour which gave way to a deluge. The thunder roared above with menacing intensity as lightening flashed across the near-black sky.
   The weather was unprecedented according to the Royal Cornwall Gazette, which reported: "A terrible thunder storm commenced; the lightening was very vivid; the rolling of thunder, loud. About one o'clock the rain poured down in such a lashing torrent, as eyewitnesses stated they had never before seen in England."
   The killer storm was immediate and isolated. Two miles to the south west the village of Zelah had no rain and two miles to the south east the village of Mitchell had only slight rainfall.
   That fact proved irrelevant to mine manager Captain Middleton that afternoon as he immediately put in place the action plan to minimise the danger to the 200 miners working at depths between 50 and 100 fathoms.
   He called 50 workers to the surface to help clear leats and reinforce the safety collars surrounding the openings to the mine shafts.
   Those 50 men gave way to 300 men, each of them attempting to shore up the timber collars to prevent a disaster unparalleled in Cornish mining history.
   Their efforts were doomed, however, when nature conspired against them to unleash an hour-and-a-half torrent which sent water rushing from all sides into this amphitheatre below.
   The basin of the East Wheal Rose soon resembled an island sea as Lappa Valley proved too narrow to channel this wall of water from harm's way.
   With nowhere else to flow, the inevitable happened and the protective collars were destroyed by this unnatural water flow, their timbers crashing into the mines and the miners below.
   The Oxenhams and Davey's shaft flooded first. They were followed by the eight others, each preceded by an eerie blast of wind which alerted seasoned miners to a pending disaster.
   The exact nature of this disaster would become apparent seconds later when the first in a continuous wall of water cascaded into the bowels of the East Wheal Rose, extinguishing the candles and all hope for the 36 men and the two boys who met their maker in the darkness on this catastrophic day.
   Like the 36 men who lost their lives - 37 counting the death of Frederick Saunders, the lone fatality at the adjoining North Wheal Rose mine - the two boys had fought for survival against all odds.
   They jumped into a kibble - a bucket used fro raising ore - at the 50 fathom level, terrified but confident of rescue. But they were washed out moments later when hit with another wall of water.
   The same fate met several men who were too exhausted to hold on to the chains of the kibble as it was raised to the surface.
   Amid the tragedy came stories of bravery, however, as men beat back the rushing water to climb out to the surface. They included James Hoskings, a young Newlyn East miner who fought his way up from the 70 fathom level to reach an engine shaft at 40 fathoms, where he made his escape.
   Along the way, though, Hoskings told the Gazette of the desperation of some men who "were on their knees, praying most fervently and devoutly to the Almighty - not to deliver them, but to have mercy upon their souls, thus awaiting the termination of their existence."
   The most remarkable tale of survival would come more than 28 hours after the rains first started. As thousands of people flocked to East Wheal Rose to witness the rescue effort, some for the sheer excitement of the spectacle, four men were raised from its depths at 5pm the following day.
   The men - Thomas Phillips, Edward Holman, Simon Harris and William Ellery - had been trapped at the 50 fathom level were they 'sought to make peace with their Creator'.
   But, thanks to the relentless efforts of Captain Middleton, Michael Chegwin and William Long, who worked throughout the night to keep the engines needed to pump out thousands of gallons of water running, a recovery team searching for bodies found them alive.
   An inquest into the East Wheal Rose disaster cleared management of responsibility for the disaster, recording a verdict of accidental death for all victims. In fact, the only criticism befell the workers at the top of the mine who were censured for not sending a warning to their underground colleagues quick enough.
   The Cornish Banner, the religious and historical register for the West of England at the time, found its own justification for the East Wheal Rose disaster.
    It wrote: "Among so large a number of persons who were employed at East Wheal Rose - 1260 - there were many of a very wicked and abandoned character; and, by many persons on the spot, the visitation is looked upon in light of the judgement...
   "We trust that a salutary and lasting impression has been produced upon the minds of many persons in the neighbourhood....."

DRAKE WALLS - I am happy to inform you the tin branches cut at the 92 at Matthews shaft are producing good saving work for tin; we expect to lay open more branches in driving north in a few days, and which I have no doubt will be found equally productive. We have communicated the 80, west of Matthews, with the 80, east of Footway and propose to resume the stopes on Monday next. We have also let the driving of the 80 west of Footway; the branches are small and producing little tin. The repairs of dividing , casing and putting penthouse at Footway-shaft are in a forward state of completion, and we hope in about ten days to resume the sinking of the same. There is no change to notice in the eastern levels and stopes since my last report. At surface we have built up the collar of Footway-shaft, and hope to commence drawing through the same in the course of the next week. We are yet confined to one shaft for our supply of tinstuff for the crusher. I hope in a short period, however, to overcome these difficulties and begin to make an increase on the returns. Dec 20

HERODSFOOT – J. Wolferstan. Dec.18: The lode in the 127 is still unproductive, but we hope to reach the shoot of ore gone down in the 117 in the course of the month. In the 117 the lode in the end is worth 6 cwts. of ore per fm., but on the whole is not looking quite so well as for some time past. We have two stopes in the back of this level each yielding 20cwt. Of ore per fm. In the 106, the lode in the end is worth 5cwt. or ore per fm. There are three stopes in the back pf tis level each being worth 10cwt. of ore per fm. The cross-cut in the 82 has not yet intersected the lode. The ground is moderately easy for driving, and we are making fair progress. Our sampling in the beginning of next month will be 70 tons. We have also some second quality ore, which we cannot without loss make cleaner, and we hope to have a good parcel of it say 40 or 50 tons to sample early in March, The machinery is all in good order and we have not had any accident for a long time.

HINGSTON DOWN CONSOLS – W. Richards, Dec. 24: The lode at Morris’s shaft is from 5 to 6 ft. wide, interspersed with ore but not good enough to value. The lode in Doidge’s winze is 5 ft wide, carrying more ore, but not enough to save. In the 75 east, the lode produces some saving work of tolerable quality. There has been no lode taken down in the 55 east in the past week. The lode in the 35 west of Hitchin’s shaft, as also the cross-cuts north and south continue without material alteration. We continue to sink Thomas’s shaft in the old workings. We purpose sampling on the 30^th inst. 250 tons of ore.

TREHANE – M. Edwards, Dec. 22: The winze sinking below the 136 fms. Level, is now holed or communicated to the 148, and the ground and lode will be squared down to that level in the course of two or three days more. This will completely ventilate the bottom level, and open ground in its back and each end of the winze to set on tribute, which will chiefly be the mode of operation carried on at this mine in future, as the 148 fms. Level north is now extended to the boundary. We sold, on the 20^th inst. A parcel of No.1 ores, computed 18 tons, to Messrs. Sims, Willyams, and Co., at 24/10s. per ton.

At the Holmbush Mining Company meeting on Tuesday(Mr Pilcher in the chair). The accounts showed balance against adventurers 2057/. 3s. 8d.

At Tokenbury Consuls meeting there was a balance in favour of the company of 43/. 17s. 8d. A call of 2s. per share was made.

Average Standard,.. £150 12 0 Average Produce 7 1 ¼ Average price per to £8 3 6 Quantity of tonscwts.

West Basset. 600-Wheal Buller, 476-Carnbrea, 439-Par Consols, 374-Alfred Consols, 333-North Basset, 316-Great Wheal Alfred, 259-Great South Tolgus, 192-West Alfred Consols, 173-Wheal Margery, 173-Levant, 163-Rosewarne, 122-Wheal Unity Consols, 100-Halamaning, 77-Carrack Dim, 61-Bolting Well, 60-Elijah and Wentworth, 58-South Crenver, 56-Botailack, 49-Wheal Anna, 49-Wheal Tremayne, 45-Treloweth, 42-Great Wheal Fortune, 36-Wheal Agar, 29-North Wheal

LUDCOTT – Jan. 1^st 1857: Sampled to day parcel of lead ores, computed 31 tons.

WHEAL MARY ANN – Sold on Thursday last, two parcels of lead ore – 63 and 61 tons to Thomas Somers, Esq., at

25/. 3s. 6d. per ton; and 78 tons to Messrs Sims, Williams, and Co., at 8/. 15s. per ton.

WHEAL WREY – Sampled yesterday two parcels lead ore: No. 1, 78 tons and No. 2, 40 tons.

Devon Buller, 15s.: Drake Walls, 37s 6d.; Gonamena, 25½ : Herodsfoot, 4½ : Lady Betha, 23s.; Ludcott, 27s 6d.; North Wheal Wrey, 17s 6d.; Sortridge Consols, 1½ ; Tavy Consols, 15s.; Wheal Edward, 2½ ; Wheal Mary Ann, 41; Wheal Trehane, 12s 6d.; Wheal Trelawny, 20½ ,; Wheal Wrey 7¼.

MR. RENDELL has been favoured with instructions to SELL by PUBLIC AUCTION, on THURSDAY, 8^th January,, 1857, the under-mentioned.

1 24-inch Cylinder Beam Pumping Engine, nine and eight feet Stroke, with Boiler 16½ feet long, and six fathoms first piece of Main Rod, Small Winch, and Wood-work of Engine

1½ -inch Bucket Rods, Jointa, Clasps, Clacks, Bucket Prongs, Set of \Glands, Horse Whim, Poppet Heads, Pulley Stands, Sheaves, Horse Whim and Winze-Kibbles, Launders, Casing and dividing Timber, and a quantity of useful Boards, several fathoms of good Ladders, a quantity of 4½, 3½ and 3-inch Rope, Shaft Tackle, Slate, and a lot of Larch Poles, Norway and Oak Timber, excellent Grinding-stone and Frame, Wheel and Hand Barrows, good Carpenters’ Bench, Chests, Sawpit Frame, & c., Screw Stock, Taps, Plates, &c., 36-inch Smiths’ Bellows, Anvil and Vice, a quantity of Fire and other Bricks, Miners’ and Smiths’, Tools, Bolts, Bars, Chains, and a lot of useful Sheet and other Iron and Steel, Doors, Frames, Windows, &c., of Smiths’ and Carpenters’ Shops, with the Roofs of the same, Tallow, Grease, Oil, Tar, &c. Account House Furniture.

The whole of the above Materials are in very good condition and are nearly new, and there is a very good Road for conveying away the same.

For viewing the same, apply to CAPT. PENBERTHY, ON THE Mine; and further particulars may be known of the AUCTIONEER, Callington.

Refreshments on the Table at Ten o’Clock in the Morning, and the SALE will commence precisely at ELEVEN.

Punctual attendance is requested as the days are short, and the whole will be sold in one day.

TREWETHA – T. Richards, W. Rowe, Dec. 23: The engine shaft is down 9½ fms;. Below the 60 in more favourable ground. In the 60, north from the engine shaft, the lode s worth 9/. 10s. per fm.; the south end is worth 6/. per fm. The 5o north is worth 5/. Per fm. The 40 north is worth 4/. Per fm. The stopes on the western lode are yielding nuch as usual. On the eastern lode in the 50, the north level is without change; the south end is producing about 2cwt. of ore per fm. The stopes in the back of this level are producing 4 cwt. of ore per fm. We sampled yesterday, computed 40 tons of crop ore, to be sold on Saturday, the 3^rd of Jan.

NORTH WHEAL WREY CONSOLS – The lode in the shaft has improved, carrying a leader 1 ft. wide of rich work for lead, The lode in the winze sinking below the deep adit lode, 4 ft. wide.

WHEAL TRLAWNEY – J. Prince, Dec. 24: Smith’s engine shaft is sunk 2 fms. 2 ft. below the 132, and we have set ?to sink it to the 142 at 29/, 10s. per fm. The lode in the 132, north of the cross-cut, is 6’ wide, consisting mostly of fluor-spar and lead ore, and worth at least 25/. Per fm. – set to drive by six men at 4/. 10s. per fm.; the lode in the south end is quite as large as it is in the north end, but it is more porous, and not so good, worth about 15/. Per fm. The lode in the 120 north is 2 ft. and worth 8/. Per fm.; in the same level south the lode has not been taken down, but it will be done forthwith. Chippendale’s shaft id sunk 4 fms. 4 ft. below the 108, the lode in which is 4 ft. wide and worth 14/. Per fm.; the lode in the 108, north of Chippendale’s is 3 ft. wide, and worth 15/. Per fm.; the south end is communicated to Trehane Mine. The lode in the 98 north is improving, and is now worth 7/. Per fm. South Mine: The lode in the 142, south of Trelawney’s shaft, is 2 ft. wide, and worth 7/. Per fm., and judging from the appearances an improvement will soon take place. We have set to drive the north end, the lode in which will be reported on next week. The lode in the 130 end south is 3 ft. wide, and worth 10/, per fm.; in the same level north the ground is improving as we anticipated, and hence the lode is improving also; it will more than pay for driving. The lode in the 120 south is 2½ ft. wide, and worth 10/. Per fm.; the slopes and pitches are producing a fair quantity of lead ore. We sampled, on Saturday last, two parcels of lead ore: 90 tons at 21/. 6s. per ton; and 40 tons at 6/. 10s. The produce of the first parcel was nearly 80 per cent for lead, and 42ozs. Of silver to the ton.

At Wheal Arthur meeting, on Tuesday, (Mr. A. Richards in the chair), the accounts showed – Balance last audit, 225/. 19s. 9d.; calls received, 126/.; ore sold 987/. 8s. 11d. Total 1339/. 8s. 8d. Mine cost, merchant bills, & c., 1076/. 0s. 6d.: leaving balance in favour of mine, 263/. 8s. 2d. The balance of assets over liabilities was 141/. 19s. 7d. Capt. T. Carpenter reported that they advise the erection of a water-wheel 36 ft. diameter, 3 ft. breast, and 12 heads of stamps, as they can see their way to keep them in full work on tin and copper for a great length of time. Although they have 200/. Worth of copper halvans ready for stamping, yet it is principally for tin staff that they require their stamps, which would cost about 220/. They sold on Dec. 18, 540/. Worth of copper ore, including carriage; on the 30^th inst. will sample 130 tons of copper ore; and on Jan 8, about 300/. worth of tin.

An accident occurred at the Phoenix Mines when a man named Matthew THOMAS was most seriously injured by a premature explosion. He sustained severe injuries and on Monday his leg was amputated, but he died shortly afterwards leaving a widow and four children.

At South Caradon Mine a lad named LOWRY was coming up the ladder and came in contact with the rod, cracking his elbow joint. He is doing well.

WEST CARADON MINE ACCIDENT. On Wednesday last as two men were sinking against two who were rising, those above gave notice to those below that they were about to fire their hole when they left. After waiting a considerable time they returned, thinking that the hole had missed or not been fired, but the hole immediately went off ????? of the fragments striking a man called Polkinghorne on the forehead. It is singular that Polkinghorne’s comrade, who was in advance was not touched.

TO BE SOLD BY PUBLIC AUCTION On Thursday, the 27th day of May, instant, by Two o’clock in the Afternoon, at Dunsley Wheal Phoenix Mine, in the Parish of Linkinhorne, Cornwall, the under mentioned

SPARE MINING MATERIALS
Comprising
1 50-feet diameter and 3 feet breast Water Wheel, with 8 stamp Heads and connecting Gear complete; 40fms of Launders and Stands;
1 Water Wheel, 6 feet diameter and 1 foot breast, with Dressing Floor Machinery;
1 Horse Pumping Engine;
3 Whim Kibbles
2 Winze ditto
35 fathoms of Whim Chain,
30 fathoms of 3 inch Whim Rope etc. etc.

January 1859

FATAL OCCURRENCE AT GOONAMENA MINE On the 18^th inst., two miner proceeded to one of the levels of this mine for blasting; and being ignorant of the danger, from the locality being impregnated with foul air of a metaphitic character, one of the poor men was found dead, and but faint hopes are entertained for the recovery of the other. The verdict of the Coroner’s Inquest was ‘Accidental Death’.

FATAL MINE ACCIDENT On the 19^th inst., at the Phoenix Mines, William Champion met with his death by the premature explosion of a hole. He was using an iron bar for tamping and incautiously struck the bar with a mallet, which was the cause of the hole exploding. He leaves a wife and two children. An inquest was held on the body in the following day, and a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ returned.

22nd March 1862

FATAL MINE ACCIDENT On Saturday last and accident happened at Wheal Ludcott Mine, St Ive. It appears a pair of men were engaged sinking a winze in the 38 fathom level. They had blasted a hole at the bottom of the winze, and Caleb Chapman went down to see what effect the hole had produced, and was being drawn up by his comrade, who was at the windlass. Before he reached the top of the winze, by some means he fell out of the rope, it is supposed about six fathoms. Assistance was immediately obtained; the fellow as not dead when his comrade came to him, but he died before he could be brought to the surface. An inquest was held on the body on Monday, by Mr Jagoe, coroner, when a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ was returned. Chapman was 25 years of age, and leaves a wife and two children to mourn their loss.

5th April 1862

An earthquake was reported in Liskeard area. “The commotion was also felt in various mines in the vicinity.”

12th April 1862

PHOENIX MINE
To masons, builders and others.
Tenders will be received at the Account House of these mines on Saturday 19^th inst. for the building of a 60 inch CYLINDER ENGINE HOUSE, STACK, BOILER HOUSE, etc. complete.

Also adjoining advertisement for sale of surplus mining materials at Dunsley Wheal Phoenix

16th August 1862

FATAL ACCIDENT AT REDMOOR MINE. On Wednesday 13^th inst, John Northey a lad of about 14 years of age, met with his death in the following manner. He was employed working at the 40 fathom level, when a scale of rock fell on him and broke his back Immediate efforts were made to extricate the unfortunate youth, and he was got out alive, but death put an end to his sufferings before he reached the surface. A verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ was returned. (Note: Redmoor Mine is just within the Callington Parish Boundary, but many of the miners lived in Southill)

20th July 1851

FATAL MINE ACCIDENT

Sacrifice of Four Lives, and Inquest on the Bodies.

The South Hooe lead and silver mine at Bere Ferris, about seven miles from Devonport, is 205 fathoms deep, and the base of it is beneath the bed of the River Tamar. There is a vertical shaft extending to a considerable depth, and also, nearly at right angles, an inclined shaft, which extends 95 fathoms below the surface. At this point 95 fathoms below the surface a steam engine of 20 horse power was erected in September last. For some time past the agents of the mine have prohibited men working in this 95 fathom level, although a portion of the smoke was carried up the incline by means of a pipe 18 inches in diameter. It appears, however, that on the 9th inst, it became known to some of the miners that there was a quantity of ore still unwrought in this chamber of the mine, and they accordingly applied for permission to work the 95 fathom level. The agent cautioned them that it was dangerous, because of the smoke; but they persisted in their request, and were permitted to go to work. Instead, however, of following the advice of the agent to quit the work as soon as they felt the smoke inconvenience them-- they continued their work for some hours, when they reported to the person who had contracted with them for the removal of the material, that they felt unwell from the effects of the smoke. The man to whom they made the report desired them to quit the level by way of the engine shaft , and had followed his advice they would probably have escaped in the same manner as himself, for immediately he had issued these instructions, he effected his exit, although in consequence of the somnifice influence of the carbonic acid gas. as soon as he had escaped to a higher level he fell asleep, and it was nearly two hours before he arrived at the surface. The men, however, to whom he gave advice, were not sufficiently wise to follow it, for instead of proceeding in the direction he had pointed out, they went in the opposite direction towards the inclined shaft; thus meeting the column of smoke, instead of rushing from it. When the petty contractor had reached the surface, he communicated the circumstances to the captains or agents of the mine, and having provided a relay of assistants, they descended the mine, and to their horror discovered that four of the unfortunate men were dead, and that one was so seriously affected, that unless prompt measures were resorted to he also would fall a victim. Accordingly he was immediately drawn up the incline and restorative measures were resorted to, which have issued in his restoration. The names of the unfortunate persons who thus met with an untimely death are, a man named Lockyer, aged 30; Henry Hopeful Down, ages 14; a man named Jackson, aged 20; and Richard Harry, aged 22. More than one of them left a wife and family to deplore their loss. An inquest was held upon the bodies, and the jury after some deliberation, returned as their verdict, " That the deceased being at work in the 95 fathom level of the South Hooe Mine, the underground steam engine having poured a quantity of smoke into that level, in consequence of there being no chimney attached to the said engine, the said smoke produced a mortal injury to the bodies of the deceased, from the effects of which they died."