ENGLISH NEWS

Dunstan Times, Issue 494, 6 October 1871, Page 2

ENGLISH NEWS

Russia is arming extensively. She has formed an alliance with France against Germany and Australia. It is resolved to bring criminal actions against the Police for committing assaults against the people in Phoenix Park. The newspapers demand an investigation into the'-oireumstances of the recent riot. The Amnesty Committee has issued an address in which it declares that meeting to make holiday for Royalty would have been allowed, but because the people met to plead for tbe liberation of captives they were stricken down and swords reddened with their blood. Tbe French Government is reported to have requested extradition of Communists who have taken refuge on British soil. The reply of the English Cabinet is said to be a decided refusal. A case of Asiatic cholera has appeared in London, and has caused an extraordinary excitement among the people. A despatch from Berlin says that cholera is increasing in Konisberz, hut no cases have yet oc. curved in Dantzig. At Copenhagen stringent precautionary measures have been adopted, and will be enforced by Ihe Government, to prevent the introduction of cholera. A London despatch says that Bismarck has commenced a vigorous campaign against the Papacy, and as a first blow has declared in Parliament and in bis office gazettes that he regards the Ultramontane Church as hostile to the State. He has broken off all relations with it not purely political. He is intriguing for the establishment of an orthodox Catholic party, which is the name applied to the opponents of the infallibility dogma, and is activly supporting Dr. Dallmger. Au express train from Bircelona to Madrid dashed into a standing train, containing Marshal Serrano and a number of officers. The shock was terrible. Serrano was slightly hurt. Many persons were wounded, hut nobody was killed. Advices from Washington state that no official despatches have been received concerning the Corean difficulty, and that the accounts hitherto published aro probably incorrect. The Chinese Eastern question may involve war by Western nations with China from which the AmorioanGovorwaent cannot escape. Advices from London state that fatal cases of cholera had appeared on three steamers from Cronstadt to Hull, but the English authorities were taking every means to prevent its introduction by ships arriving from foreign ports. Despatches have been received here announcing two fatal cases of cholera in Paris.

DUNSTAN wigTRICT HOSPITAL. The visual monthly meuing of the Com* mitteo was held at the Towi-hall on Monday evening last, the 2nd iist. Present: J. Hazlett, Esq. (President), in the chair, and Messrs. Christophers (Tnasurer), Holt, Naylor, Wellsford, Cainbricgo, Grindley, Marshall, Beck, and Barlow Secretary). The minutes of the previous meetings were read and confirmed. Outward correspondence.—Letter to Duncan Bussell, informing him of his having been appointed Wardsman ; from the Treasurer to the Resident Surgeon, giving him three months’ notice that his services would no longer be required ; to Mr. B. Hebden, enclosing art union nugget ; to Messrs. Norman, Preshaw, Purton, MTndoe, and * Geeenbank, inquiring into the circumstances of patients who had been admitted during 40 the past year, with a view to demanding payment; to Messrs. Hebden and Burke, asking their assistance in collecting funds; to the ten unsuccessful candidates, informing them that the appointment of Wardsman had been made. Inward correspondence.—From B. Hebden, enclosing 3/. 3s. ; from E. T. George, asking for a copy of Rules and ground plan of building. The outward correspondence was approved, and the inward received. It w'as resolved unanimously, on the motion of Mr. Beck, seconded by Mr. Patterson, That the letter of the Treasurer to (he Resident Surgeon, giving him three months' notice that his services would no longer be required, be adopted. The Visiting Committee’s report No. 1 stated that they had engaged a convalescent patient to repair the damage done to the Hospital buildings by the late whirlwind, at thera'e of 20s. per week ; also that the new Wardsman and bis wife had entered upon tbeir duties. No. 2 report recommending the payment of salaries and aclounts, amounting to 127/. Os. 7d. The reports were adopted. The Treasurer’s report showed— Balance due to Bank as per last report ... £340 3 4 Accounts since paid ~ .. 20 0 0 £360 3 4 Month’s subscriptions £43 6 0 Paying patients 16 10 0 Liabilities. Balance due to Bank .. £309 7 4 Outstanding cheques .. 613 4 7 Accounts passed this evening.. 127 0 7 £1,040 12 6 Assets. Government subsidy for threequarters, endiugjuly 31, 1871 £BSO 17 0 Ditto, current quarter .. 125 0 0 £975 17 0 The Treasurer’s report was adopted. The Secretary was instructed to draw the attention of the Visiting Committee to the large consumption of coal. The Resident Surgeon’s report, as follows, was reed and received :—Patients in Hospital on the Ist of September, 10 ; admitted during the month, 5 ; discharged, 4 ; in Hospital at end of the month, 11 ; daily average, 10. The patients admitted were from Clyde. 2 ; Manuherikia, 2 ; Conroy’s, 1. Resolved, That the Visiting Committee, in conjunction with the Resident Surgeon bo empowered to forward the patients, Monison and Baker to Dunedin, should they deem it necessary. Messrs Patterson and Marshall were elected members of Visiting Committee, rice Baylor and Holt, retiring. Proposed by Mr. Christophers, seconded by Mr. Barlow, That instead of a Resident Surgeon, with a salary of 325/. per annum, applications be invited for a Visiting Surgeon and a Superintendent, the former to be allowed private practice and bouse, if i equired, and salary at the rate of 200/. per annum; the latter, who shorn d have a knowledge of dressing and dispensing, 100/. per annum and found. An amendment was moved by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Holt, That a Re sident Surgeon be appointed. Another amendment was moved by Mr, Welsford, seconded by Mr. Grindley, That the matter stand over for consideration until the next meeting. The amendment of Mr. Patterson was carried. Resolved on the motion of Mr. Grindley, seconded by Sir. Beck, That applications for the office of Resident Surgeon, Salary, 250/. per annum, with residence and private practice, be advertised for. An amendment was proposed by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Sir. Holt, that the salary 7 be 300/. per annum. Another amendment was proposed by Sir Welsford, seconded by Sir. Naylor, That the salary be 200/. per annum. Resolved that the Sccrolary and Treasurer be instructed to carry out the foregoing resolution. Sir. Pyke’s notice of motion was ordered t to stand over till next meeting. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting. A paper of some pretentions published in enlightened Massachusetts told its readers lately that it had been “informed by reliable authority that a ribbon of black silk placed round a child’s nock has arrestled the progress of that dreadful disease, the croup.’’ It does not tell how tightly that ribbon was drawn. A capital invention for New Zealand Travellers is mentioned by the South London Press, An ingenious machinist has constructed a velocipede, which is to convey him from London to Paris without stop ping, its peculiarity being that it is amphibious. The same wheels which aro suitable for the road will act as paddles in the water and appear to be as suitable for the one as for the otbo'. The experiment has been tried with a temporary-constructed machine, and found to he practicable.

MINING ITEMS. On the West Coast quartz reefing is being steadily developed and a revival of mining matters evinced. Recent exchanges state that at Murray Creek, in the claim of Kelly and party, several parcels of stone have been tried, and all were found to be over two and a half ounces to the ton. The Alto, American paper, expresses the following views as to the waste of gold by ordinary processes of amalgamation. So long as we use water to float the golden sand, seeking agitation to perfect the absorption of gold by mercury, so long will this waste continue. For waterhasnoaffinity for mercury. Now, every particle of gold being invested wdth a coat of water, it is j the water and not the gold that is presented ' for amalgamation. The three or four hours stirring would be needless, if it were not for this interposition. A moment suffices for a particle of a dry and bright gold to betaken up by mercury and a thousand particles need but a minute. But experience proves that when the gold is unalloyed in a coat of water all the friction we can give it only suffices to enable about half of it to get in

actual‘contact with the mercury; the othei half is therefore cast away as irrecoverable If anything is clear to our mind it is this, viz. the water makes trouble. Then, why use it? Why not let the mercury have fan play? We may be told that dry pulverisation and dry amalgamation have been tried with out satisfactory result. This should betaken only as a sign that renewed experiment is wanting. Mr Almarin Paul, an experienced miner, announces that by superfine dry pulverisation in a heated revolving barrel, and by finely triturating mercury in contact with tho powdered quartz in a cylinder, he has obtained over ninety per cent, of the as-ay. The mercury is warmed by the heat of tho flour of quartz, but'not vapourised, and the mercury takes up only the precious metal, rejecting the base. After this process the separation of the amalgam from the quartz is effected by precipitation in water in a settler of peculiar construction. The very general objection to dry working is overcome by appropriate construction and that process is said to be economical. Gold and silver are said, moreover, to bedelivered in more than usual purity. This process seems to merit investigation, because its chemistry seems to be founded on correct principles. The following description of the improved system of hydralic sluicing in vogue in California is given by a correspondent to the Grey River Anjus ; —A good stream of water is brought to the brow of the hill—at the mouth of the stream an iron pipe is placed, made of sheet iron and rivetted like a ship’s boiler, in two feet lengths. Each length of piping is about twelve f ect long, and six or seven inches in diameter. This piping is laid on the ground, down along the face of the bill to'three or four hundred feet, nr even to a thousand feet from the foot of tho hill, inclining in a curve towards the face of the hill, stretched along the ground, just as a hose would be. At the mouth of the pipe a nozzle or nose is fixed, eighteen or twenty inches long, made of sheet iron, and fastened into a cast-iron socket, and is as much like a cannon as possible. It is so fixed at the mouth of the pipe that one man, or even a lad fourteen years old, can elevate tho nose . with the lever that is attached to the breech or socket, so as to send the water three hundred feat high, or lower the nose and direct the stream within a few feet of him ; the nozzle, in fact, is so fixed in tho socket that it can be turned in any direction. The nozzle which I have described is a new invention even here. lam acquainted with both the inventor and the founder who casts the sockets, and when I. told them what sort of country New Zealand is—its rivers, its watercourses, its precipitous hilly character, and the rich auriferous quality of its soil, they said, “That is the country for hydraulic mining.’’ The cost of the nozzle and socket in California is from '69k to 100k, according to size ; and with one thousand feet of piping would cost from 220k to 240k A New Notion in Gold Mining.—At Murderer’s Bar,on the North Fork of the American river, is a great crevice or depression in the bedrock known to contain vast quantities of gold. The spot was flumed and partially worked several years ago, under disadvantages, and though no signs of the bottom of the crevice was discovered, and only a space was worked, large quantities of gold were obtained before the water broke in upon the miners. Recently some parties in that vicinity, have organised a company, called the Great Crevice Mining Company, to work out the rich lead. The intention is to sink an iron pipe, five feet in diameter, to the necessary depth—possibly one hundred feet—and to run drifts from the shaft thus made, and extract all the auriferous gravel comeatable. By this means the water can bo kept out of the mine with comparative ease, and work carried on below the bed of the river with i perfect safety, cheapness, and doubtless, v great profit. A steam pnmp will be used to keep the shaft clear of water, and when the r freshets commence a tight-fitting cap will be placed on the table, so as to prevent the lower portion of the mine from damage during the winter months. Altogether, the contrivance is a very ingenious as Well as economical one, and we doubt not will succeed, in wdiich case tho Company will produce many thousand dollars before the winter rains. Tho tubing is now completed and all\the parts fitted, and can be seen at Anderson,s shop. On Monday it wifl be taken to' the mine and there put together in sections, aa required, aa the ainking of the shaft progresses. If this new mining idea prove practicable, and there ia tvoiy reason to believe that it will, anew Source of wealth will be opened, because there are hundreds of enormously rich deposits in the beds of American rivers which •can never he worked out by flnming, bnt which can he made to yield up their hidden treasures by the tubing process.

; 7 ; v~ — 1 . ■ Another dredging invention is about' to b submitted to the public. According to th 7 Daily Times a Mr. Lake, of Pelichet Bay , has co.mpleted a model of a Dredge of thi 3 subjoined description;— The water whee r is to be placed equidistant between the side > of the vessel in an opening to receive it, ai . a distance of about one-third of the vessel’i length from the bows. Along the bottom o , the vessel is to be a groove or channel, thre , feet in height, wide under the bows,' am , narrowing, till at the water wheel it is jus ( of sufficient width to allow of the wheel re volving. The object of this is to bring i current against the wheel, and cause it tt , strike the wheel without being diverted side ways; and to prevent any escape of water in the line of current. Mr Lake proposes tc lower the wheel of three feet in the current, and by means of a rope made fast to the axle , on each side of the wheel, and passing through blocks on uprights the wheel can, when required, be lifted up by the crew—the ends of the axle, on the rope being pulled, moving upward in the long grooves. A divingbell

is to be hung at the stern of the dredge from davits, and over a long slit through which it is to be let down. Instead of making the r diving-bell round or square, hj e would make it like an inverted boat, so that it could , better stem the strong current. A pair of y outriggers having at their outer ends blocks r through which pass ropes or chains, will n prevent the bell from shooting forward in _ the eddies, and generally help to keep it in n position. Such a bell he also claims can be sheered in its descent by a man inside it 1 and the power of the water wheel can be made available in sending a air inj to the bell. The buckets for bringing up tho t gold bearing stuff filled into tnem bythemen e in the bell below are to be like a marine e boiler in shape, and to be partly covered in t on the top. The object being to prevent the j contents from washing out by the force of s the current. The bottom of each bucket wilj s have a trap door in it, fittedjwith a catch, e and through thes" the dirt will be discharged. r The stuff, when landed on deck, will be e sluiced thereon, the water being provided 3 by a pump dtivenby the wheel. Mr Lake | hj; s also invented a water-wheel for forcing I water upon the river banks, for slucing and 1 other purposes. The wheel he claims, can 3 be driven on piles, or on floats, it is to 3 work on an upright shaft, and is, if required t to be entirely covered by water. The speciality of the wheel is that the [buckets are [ funnel-shaped, with the object of catching . the greatest'quantity of water when their i mouths are presented to the stream. By an • arrangement by which each bucket will i revolve on a spindle, independent of the rotatory motion of the wheel, he claims that i the pointed end of the funnel-shaped bucket ‘ will, by this spindle motion, turn off the force of the water, which will then offer less resistance to its passage through it, and destroy the backward sucking motion. From the reports of theJVietoriaE mining surveyorsand registrars for the quarter ending 30th June. It appears that the quantity Of j gold got for the quater from alluviums is | 187,7440z. I3dwt. ; from quartz, 174,6860z I Hdwt., making a total of 353,4310z. 7dwt. | The quantity of gold the produce of the colony, exported during the quater, according to returns furnished by order of the bon. the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, is 31/,l2fioz. Cuwt. The number of .European miners employed in alluvial claims is 27,034; Chinese, 10,487. Europeans employed in quartz claims, 15,700; Chinese, 184; making the total of miners employed in the clony 57,439. The approximate value of mining plant is estimated at 2,065,516k The number of square miles of auriferous ground actually worked upon is 946j, and the number of distinct quartz reefs actuary proved to be auriferous is 3, 077. The highest price obtained for gold was 41 2s Od. from the Central Division of Ballarat, and the lowest was 31 Bs. from the Donnelly’s Creek division of Gipps Land. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. “The Fashion of this World Fasseth Away.”—The Poll Mall Gazette says the Parisian ladies intend to show their sense of their country’s misfortunes by adopting for the future an extreme sobriety of costume, and adds : From this forth the great Parisian milliner will cease to give the law to Europe. Under these circumstances, it will become necessary to establish the capital of fashion in some other city, and the names of several places have already been mentioned as the future seat of government for female costume. The claims of the Portuguese territory of Goa seem to us worthy of great consideration, and should the Governor succeed in effecting certain reforms which he seeks to introduce, the dress of the native inhabitants of that colony will form an admirable model for the imitation of English ladies. An order has been recently issued directing that “ native found in public either unclad or dressed in clothes too transparent or flimsy to answer the purposes of delicacy shall be punished.” If this edict produces the desired effect, London milliners should lose no time in putting themselves in communication with some leading native

firm in Goa. The total number of vessels which passed through the Suez Canal during the year 1870, was four hundred and ninety-one, with an aggregate tonnage of four hundred and thirty thousand sixhundred and eighteen and representing fifteen nationalities. The quantity of tonnage which passed through in British merchant ships was two hundred and eighty five thousand one hundred and eighty eight tons. The tonnage in French vessels amounted to seventy five thousand seven hundred and fifty eight tons. Th e other nationalities follow in order thus Austria, Egypt, Turkey,. Italy, Ottoman Dominions, Portugal, Spain, Zanzibar, Denmark, Russia, America, Holland, and Greece, which stands lowest oh the list with only forty-eight tons. The Nero York Times states that a solid section cut from one of the original “ big trees ” Calaveras county, California is in .. New York, on its way to a European museum. Five men were employed twenty

>e five days in cutting down this huge tree ; le its .height was three hundred and two feet j, and its largest diameter thirty-two feet. ® The specimen was cut at a distance of el twenty feet from the base. The stump ia is covered over, and is now used aa aball-room t being so large that thirty-two persons can s dance a double cotillon on it and leave room >f for the band and spectators. If one has 0 sufficient patience, the age of the tree might d he determined by counting the annular t rings ; but, to save trouble, it has been al- . ready ascertained that there are more than a two thousand five hundred of them, each 0 representing a year. The following choice hit of learned lorei r compiled by the Scottish School Book e Association, for the especial behoof of ju. , venile sue its, is worthy of being embalmed 3 in some record of things not generally 1 known; for the edification of the youth of • future ages. Its present value is not very 3 apparent:—“ New Holland and Van I Diemen’s Laud have been colonized by the 1 British. The soil is arid, but well adapted 1 to sheep pasture, and the wool is of fine 1 quality. South Australia is noted for its rich gold diggings. A plan for colonizing 5 New Zealand was entered upon in 1839, and f the work is now progressing; the soil is good ' and in many parts free from trees, but over--1 spread with strong fern nearly as difficult I to clear as timber. ” 1 The following sensible remarks are from an 1 American journal:—“ When we consider the 1 by a malicious and, vindictive man, who happens to have control of the columns of a newspaper—his power to injure those who incur his displeasure ; to wound thefeelings of the sensitive by ridicule or 1 vituperation; to avenge his own fancied ’ wrongs or slights; to invade the privacy of domestic life, and outrage all the decencies 1 and proprieties—when we consider these things,it becomes apparent that astrict check of some kind should be supplied by the law, which may be available for the qiroteetion of the citkeu against this peculiar power, which ! is liable to such cruel and villianous use in unworthy hands. Unless such a check exists, and is strictly enforced, the best men in the ' community are at the mercy of any low-bred malicious boor who owns a paper—and it is an unfortunate, as well aaasingular fact that in these days it sometimes happens that newspapers are owned and controlled by men of this de cription. We do not think there is danger of undue severity in the administration of thelawoflihel. The danger is in the other direction. No paper of good repute and whose'gencral course is characterised by candour and dfeoency, will suffer for a mere mistake, or a misstatement of fact, that ia not dictated by malice or some other mean motive. If journals that do not , belong to this class suffer, or are ‘gagged,’ | they simply get their deserts, and the com j munity is satisfied.” Holloway’s Pills.— Ortrjlow of bile. —A constitutional predisposition to bilions disorders is vetv common in this country. We find that in a large proportion of the ordin i aiy cats of cough, cold, i itcrmittent fever, J ! influenza, etc., the liver sympathises i violently with the pulmenaiy organs. Act-' I ingdrieotly and annul, aneously upon both, i | the Pills soon bring them back to a natural j | and healtay condition; The impurities of I | the system are discharged through the j j bowels, the organs of respiration are relieved by the operation of this great counterirritant upon the fevered blood, and the functions of the liver are regulated and re- ; strained. Thus the primary and subsidiary causes of the complaint are reached and subdued at tbe samo time.