CROWN PRINCESS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1971, 29 April 1875, Page 2

CROWN PRINCESS.

I visited the Crown Princess Uiis morning, and went through the old and.new workings. To witness the progress made in the botlom level, however, was the ostensible object of my visit. Considerable progress has been made, though the country is decidedly tough. 'I he shaft is timbered and quid. d to the bottom, and the manager has opened out to the right and left. Adrive has been put in parallel with the shaft to the north-east, and a good portion of the reef has been stripped ready for taking out. The reef —which has been slightly heaved at the shaft —is about 18 inches thick, and gives promise of carrying payable stone. The quartz is metalliferous, and a little gold has been found, but only a little. On the opposite side of the chamber the main cro«s-cut is being carried forward, The specimen leader has been cut, and commr lication obtained with the winze from the intermediate level. Men are now working on No. 2 leader, which crosses the specimen leader rectangularly, and averages one foot in thickness. A little gold is being obtained from this loader, which is heavily charged with those minerals in most cases looked upon as the' Sure accompaniment or indication of tho gold ore. The stone is also characterised by an eruginous coating. It is intended to drive the cross-cut in another seven feet, and then to follow up • No. 2, there not being at the present j time sufficient, room for that purpose. At the samp time the cross-cut wi'l be pushed ahead to- cut No. 3 lode, which done, the manager will at once open out, and drive on the course of the reef to con- : nect with the winze now being sunk on No. j 3, and which is already down 30 feet. Men are to be kept engaged in this winze until it has reached the required depth. By | this means, :t will be seen, the itjUeof ' the new level will be opened up thoroughly, and. communication established with the upper or intermediate level; but itis estimated that fully a month will elapse before operations on the different leaders can be fairly and properly commenced. In the meantime, the block that stands between the winze and tho specimen leader arid the face now being worked on will be Lstoped out, and a pass put up to comSpmnicate with the upper level, for the purpose of ventilation or the conveyance of mullock. Mr Daniels also purposes putting in a cutting to drive on the footwaU of the specimen leader, but this is aUo in prospective, as preparations will have to be made, and the ground is by co means soft. I may with safety venture to remark, that the prospects of the Crown Princess are decidedly improving. The leaders lose nothing in quality as they go down ; indeed there is in No. 2 lode, a manifest improvement; and the same may be said for No. 1; No 3, not being to hand, remains to be proved in time to come. In the space of a fortnight there will be something of progress to report 71 connection with the mine.