OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5046, 16 March 1885, Page 3

OUR MINES.

NEW. PRINCE IMPERIAL. The manager reported on Saturday :— « At No. 7 level the leading stope over the drire during the past week has been carried along so far an the jumrtion of the Sngingwall lead. This will give abou 40ft more in length of stopes than what we have been taking out. Should the lead improve upwards, as in the other stopes, I will extend them still further ahead. No. 6 level: In the western stopes there are now only 6 men employed on the footwallportionofthelead, which although small contributes good payable dirt, with occasionally a few pounds of good picked stone. No. 5 level: The usual number of stopes are in progress on Nos. 2 and 3 leads The stopes on the latter are looking wry'well, gold being freely seen every breaking down. The Cross Company ■. workings from the Saxon shaft were connected with our south crosscut on Wednesday last. There is pow a splendid current of air passing along the level. After removing the air-boxes, &c. driving was at once started to cut the No. 4 lead, which should be to hand in about 40ft. Should this lead when opened up turnout equal to expectations, I would, ourpose at once starting a crosscut at either No. 6 or 7 level to open up the bloct beneath us. The No. 1 reef in the intermediate drive below No. 4 level is looking better, and some good strong dabs of gold have been met with lately. There is also a winze in progress on the western «de of the break, which is now down 25ft. The leadhere, although not large, showed gold very freely ib breaking down to-day. This winze will open up a V shaped block between the break and the Cross boundary, which should prove payable.—(*. b. Clabk." QUEEN OF BEAUTY. A start was made last night to drive northward on Ibe leaders cut in the. west crosscut at No. 11 level,, and m which a color or two of gold was seen. Only a few feet have yet been stripped, but in breaking a piece of quartz whicn tell down strong colors of coarse gold were seen. The minerals in the stone are also excellent, thus 'making the probability of Davable gold being obtained much brighter. Another body of quartz has been' struck in the crosscut, a few feet inside the one mentioned,/and from its strike, it appears likely to junction with the lode last cut, but much cannot be said about it till a survey is made. In the drive on the lode cut in the east crosscut, the quartz looks very promising. CALEDONIAN. The manager reports for last week :— « The contractors at No. 3 level completed their second contract of 100 ft on Thursday last. There is still some 50 or 60ft to drire to connect with the winze; I have let the remaining distance to the same party at 20s per foot. There are now in the face several small veins ; in fact, the whole face is " leady," arid by its appearance we are not far off the Red Queen leader. We might at any time now cut into it. Winze at No. 2 level: I have been going down with the dig under the leader this week, through good country; shall take down the leader some time next week. No. 1 level • I have risen on Ellis leader lor the leading stope, which I am now bringing DM* over the crosscut. The leader looks weTT.in this stope ; gold was freely seen in taking it down yesterday. lam still stripping the leader along the crosscut. No gold has been seen here this week. The leader is very much larger, and com- , posed of brown quartz, which is hard to see gold in.—T. B. Hicks." CALEDONIAN LOW LEVEL. Crushing was started at the Herald lmtterv to-day. Another lode of promising 5J57?M k°D tpuched in the north 640 ft level crosscut; up to this afternoon it had been cuf into about 3ft. There is a considerable fiow of water from the lode' SAXON. The shaft is finished to No. 6 level ~a *h* rases are now running to that dejth The s«t work will be the chamber, and when that is cutout a crosscut will be Jtartcd to intersect Nos. 2 and 3 reefs. The only other work going on at present is .toping on the hangingwaH leader of No. 1 reef at No. 3 level. The crushing at the being a 1 Bank holiday retorting will take • Son Wednesday. A yield of about in ounce per load may, be expected. ,