VICTORIA.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 710, 6 August 1870, Page 1 (Supplement)

VICTORIA.

[leader, july 23.]

On Thursday, 14th inst., a fine nugget weighing 330z was found at the Springs, Berlin. It is stated that gold in considerable quantities xontinues to be got from John's and Catto's paddocks. During his lecture upon " Mines and Mining," on Wednesday, 13th inst., Mr Kitto expressed his conviction that Kynet ton was the centre of what would ultimately become one of the largest and most important gold fields of Victoria. The Smythesdale correspondent of the Ballarat Star informs that journal that a most interesting collection of fossil fruits or seed vessels, obtained by Mr Charles Nintingbool, from the Gladstone and Reform Companies, at Haddon, was presented by him on Saturday to the district mining surveyor, Mr John Lynch, for transmission to the Mining Department. The collection comprises about sixty fossil I specimens, ranging from the size of a garden pea to that of an ordinary lemon. The largest specimen,' which is precisely the same shape as a lemon, was found in the Gladstone Company's claim, at a depth of about 120 f t; the most of the others, if not all, were obtained from the . mine of the Reform Company, at a depth of about lTOft. Nearly all the fossils are in a sound state of preservation ; some of therii are ribbed ; the ribs are about oneeighth of an inch thicker than the general surface, and as distinct as if they had but recently been carved thereon. In some when shaken the heart or seed rattles the same as a withered kernel in a nutshell. Some very curious and interesting fossil impressions of leaves have also been noticed in the United Leads Company, at Brownsvale, and Mr Robert Peart is engaged in making a collection of them, with the view of having them also submitted to Mr Brough Smyth.

The Inglewood Advertiser reports as follows of the rush which took place to Tronstone Hill, last week, in consequence of a discovery of some payable surfacing, and which is likely to lead to the tracing of the gold into deep grounds. On the 15th inst. about 100 miners were at work there, and the sinking has been extended to the wide shallow gully, or flat, lying at the foot of the hill, where the ground is from 3ft to 12ft deep. In this part, on Friday, a good prospect — namely, about ldwt to the tin dish — was washed out of one of the 10ft shafts, bnt this was the only gold that was got out of several that were bottomed. Altogether 40 or 50 new shafts are being sunk, antl it is not improbable that some valuable patches or lead may be struck, as the scene of the rush is about as likely a looking country aa could well be met with. The prospectors have as yet found little change in the surface, the yield still continuing about 2|dwt to the load. Another rush has taken place about a mile and a half north-west of Simpson's hut, in consequence of an 18dwt nugget having been picked up on the surface on Wednesday last. There were about 200 miners on the ground on Friday, but up to that time nothing had been found, though a considerable quantity of surface had been tried. It is quite probable, however, that in a few days, at both these rushes, some valuable discovery will be made, as the miners are determined to give the ground a fair trial.

" Never perhaps was the old adage, it never rains but it pours," says the Bendigo Advertiser, " so happily, and to the people of this district so agreeably demonstrated to be true, as in the case of this gold field during the past six months. First came the discovery of the Bendigo reef in the Extended Hustler's ; then the Garden Gully line and the Perseverance reef came into notice — the first causing more business then any other reef in the district ; then the discovery of the lai'gest piece of gold ever found in quartz in the colony, in the Argus mine ; and now we have to chronicle an event which is perhaps as important as any of those we have mentioned. On Monday the Gollman and Tacchi's Company came upon their old golden reef at a depth of 650 feet, the greatest depth at which a golden reef was ever found^n this district, demonstrating that our reefs go to unknown depths, and are as rich below as above. The Collman and Tacchi's Company have worked this reef from the surface right down to a depth of 570 feet, and it yielded well all the way down. On working at that depth, they began sinking their shaft to a depth of 650 feet, and when down drove for the reef, being now close to in the crosscut. However, in the meantime sunk a winze, and struck the reef. They have gone two feet through it without coming to the wall. Several pieces of stone were brought into town on Monday eveniug, and are, perhaps, as rich as ever shown, for this reason, that the gold is thoroughly distributed through the stoiie. In most other quartz in this district the gold is in the veins that run through the stone ; in this, although there are veins, the stone is as it were shot with gold all through, without being in any particular place more than another. Such a discovery as this will do more to continue the confidence in the district than any amount of scientific deliverances. "

The Bendigo Advertiser says the yield of gold at Sandhurst for June is 19,8370z 3dwt 4gr, or a weekly average — there being four weeks in the month — of 49590z sdwt 19gr, which is a considerable improvement on the yield of May, which was (four weeks) 17,5230z 18dwt 16gr, or a weekly average of 43800z 19dwt 16gr ; being a difference in favor of June of 231 30z 4dwt. The yield for May only exceeded that of April by 1690z 12dwt 2gr. The total value of the gold reported in June was L 75,381 4s Ofd, whereas the yield of May was only valued at L 68,030 10s. This shows that our yield is steadily increasing, and that each month new companies come in, which compensate for the cakes of a few of the more prominent companies not being so large as the cakes sent in at the beginning of the year.