LATEST CALIFOENIAN MINING NEWS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 262, 6 February 1873, Page 6

LATEST CALIFOENIAN MINING NEWS.

[" New York Tribune!'] The diamonds of Arizona and fche silver mounts of Utah are thrown into the shade, if a man can be depended upon who has just related to the "San Francisco Chronicle " a tale, which it ushers into its columns with the guarded prefix that "the future may demonstrate its truth." It appears that between three and four months ago a "plain-looking" man of American birth walked into a San Francisco bank, and asked to see the manager, calmly placed a leather valise on the banker's desk before him, opened it, took out an ingot of dingy metal, and handed it to tho other in silence. " Well," said the man of "gilt edged " and other paper, " what of it ? Tin, ain't it, or brass ! " A sarcastic smile illuminated the face of J the mysterious stranger. " Look again," he muttered sententiously. " What for ? " asked the banker fretfully ; " I'm no judge of minerals, anyhow except one, and I've no timo to study this particular specimen." His visitor mildly persisted, and to this end became more loquacious. "Do you know gold when you see it ? If not, will you call in some trustworthy expert who docs ? " The banker, with some reluctance, assented. A wellknown assayer was summoned, and to him the mass, with some other like it was submitted. On seeing the metal he asked, with excitement, where it came from, but, receiving no satisfaction, agreed to do what was requested, and took it away for assay. The next day he came back by appointment, met the two others, and producing a yellow bar. " That looks like gold," said the banker. " Rather," returned the assayer. "It is gold — nearly a thousand fine ; the finest I ever put in a crucible." The mysterious owner said nothing. Questions were put to him as to where he got the precious stuff, but these were civilly evaded. He desired, as a further test, that the bar should be sent to the mint. This, too, was done, and the bar came back in due time transformed into 8000 dol. worth of double eagles. The cash, by the request of the stranger, was put to his credit. At the end of a week he came back, and this time laid before the excited banker a much larger quantity of the same metal. "It is gold," he cried, " pure gold, like the last. Where did you get it ?" The stranger looked with steadfastness at his interlocutor, and replied calmly, " I made it — I made it myself." The astonishment of the banker, was, of course, unbounded, and was not diminished by tbe particulars afterwards confided to him. Our modern Midas announced that, after long and painful efforts, he had discovered the secret of the transmutation of metals. He could make gold by the ton — nay, by the shipload ; but the process he would reveal to no living soul. A bargain was, however, effected whereby he and the banker became partners, Midas furdishing the bullion, and his friend undertaking ite cautious and profitable distribution. The latter did not fail, by way of getting his chance in so good a thing, to point out the troubles and dangers that might arise from those interested in values the momentous discovery would impair were not secrecy as to the identity of the inventor, and an intermediary such as his own bank, judiciously employed. At the time the article of tbe "Chronicle" appeared more than half a million of coin made of the manufactured gold is said to have been put in circulation, and plenty more of the same sort was soon to follow. The intention of the partners, as stated by the " Chronicle," is to try to make San Francisco ' the centre of all commercial exchanges, and the great depository of the products of the world.' This part of the otherwise credible story, we confess, strikes us rather dubious. Possessed of such a discovery, why bother about a ceutre at all ? We quite agree with the " Chronicle " that it is ' frightful to reflect what may be the result of their ambition if it should pass beyond reasonable limits.' "

A circular has been issued to the medical profession of the colony, stating that the Government have under their consideration the preparation of vital statistics for the Colony, on the basis adopted in the United Kingdom and the other Australian Colonies, so as to secure the joint advantages of local experience on the subject, and of the comparison of that experience with that gamed in other countries ; and with the view of securing uniformity in the issue of the certificates of death, the medical men of .the .Colony are requested to state the cause of death in terms as precise and brief as possible, and in all cases to use the names recommended in the Nosology in use in Great Britain. Noticeable among the gold exhibits in the Hokitika collection now on view, are four pyramids, each representing, in substantial form to the eye, the. gold exported by Westland, Otago, "Welington Maryborough and Auckland., The dates taken are from April, 1857 to June, 1872, and the following are the figures .— Weatland, 2,84.6,0L40z ; £11,242;755. Otago, 2,973,8770z; £11,626,941 Wellington, and Marlborough, 32,6090z ; £152,238. Auckland, 701,105oz ; £2,440,262. It is not unlikely that Mr. Peebles, the «elebrated American spiritist lecturer, will vidt Lawrence,