LOST GOLD MINES AND AEROPLANE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 229, 21 June 1919, Page 7

LOST GOLD MINES AND AEROPLANE

A NEW PROSPECT. - Interest is being taken in the lost mines of Panama, owing lo sonic "recent finds there. There are many of. the old Spanish workings which were .abandoned for various reasons, scattered over the republic. Many of tliem were abandoned because of the yellow, fever scare, oome because, of political revolutions, and some, because of dishonest management A Mr. Nathaniel Hill, of Colon, owns 011'of these mines, which has been so long abandoned that he cannot find it except at great expense, as the old trails are all overgrown with jungle and the landmarks 011 his charts completely unrecognisable. The mine was extremely rich once, and is said to have been abandoned at' tho height of its productivity because of a long revolutionary period in tho province 111 which it is located.

. Gold, occurs in practically every river in the republic. 'I'ho old Darien miub once produced more gold than any. mine in the world and geologists are inclined to believe that it is in a region which may yet dcvelon like the South African Band.

In tiie "Christian Science Monitor" Dr. Malcolm M'Larcu, a most eminent authority oil gold mining' and aiTtlun- of a compciidious volume on the subject, considers the Central and . South American goldlields as really ill their infancy, '.the difficulties of transportation have been the main handicap in the development of the mineral lodes in these countries, (0-getheiU'-'-'t.h the densily of the vegetation, which covers tho earth 60 that prospecting is very troublesome, ts contrasted with the bare African veldt and the Australian deserts.

The aeroplane is destined 10 be ol enormous utility in facilitating pi objecting for and opening up mineral puberties iii the Andean valleys. Hydroplanes can lly from the l'ueilie to '.ho upper waters of the Amazon in a fow hours, while there are good landingplaces for ]iiaiic-s «ii ninn.y of the snow fields of the higher Andes, which have never yet been explored at all. The aeroplane is almost ideal for transporting precious metals, where the value is high in proportion to weight, ami bi.lk, and the time-having is so ininjiianf ns well as the safety from robbery. Already plans 11115 under, way. to use 'idiviies in i'cru ami Columbia.