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for six stopes, and from the information supplied me by the manager the stone underfoot in the level is even better than what it is in the stopes, and likely to average 15dwt. of gold per ton. Formerly the winding from this underground shaft was done by compressed air, but this method has been done away with and steam substituted in lieu thereof. The manager stated that he can do more work with steam at 201b. pressure to the square inch than he could do formerly with compressed air at 401b. pressure. The reason of this is not well understood, and possibly if the whole thing were properly investigated, it would be found that there was some defect in the engine using the compressed air which required to be remedied. The steam is supplied from a Tangye boiler placed in the building in which the crushing-battery is erected, and the steam conveyed to a receiver by the pipe which was used for conveying the compressed air. The engine, which is placed in the chamber beside the top of the shaft, receives the steam from the receiver, and any condensation of water that takes place in the pipes is drawn off at the bottom of the receiver, which is an egg-ended boiler, formerly used as an air-receiver. Battery. —The crushing-battery consists of twenty-five heads of stamps, with the ordinary quicksilver and blanket tables, having eight berdans for treating the concentrates from the blankets. The whole of the machinery is driven by one of Hornsby and Sons' undertype compound steamengines, having cylinders of 14in. and 22-Jin. diameter respectively. These engines are very compact, well adapted for work of this description, and take up comparatively little room ; but, were fuel a great consideration, no doubt a multitubular boiler built in brick-work would generate the same quantity of steam with less fuel. The latter is, however, of little consequence to this company, since it has a coal-mine connected with the battery by an aerial tramway. During the year ending the 31st March last 7,150 tons of quartz was crushed, which yielded 3,6200z. gold, representing a value of £14,663, out of which dividends were paid to the extent of £4,200. The total quantity of quartz crushed from this mine is 51,595 tons, which yielded 24,2710z. gold, representing a value of £97,315, out of which £17,400 has been paid in dividends. The site where this company's battery is fixed is in such a position that it is difficult to stack the tailings, consequently the tailings are carried away down the creek, and, although there is an accumulation. in the bed of the creek in places, it will be difficult to operate on them at a future time, even if a cheap process is found for treating them. Sir Francis Drake. —This mine has recently changed hands ; the Sir Francis Drake Company went into liquidation, and the plant and mine were sold to a private company consisting of twelve working-men. An adit-level has been driven into the hill on the same level as the top of the shaft, and the whole of the lode stoped out above this adit. The shaft is 195 ft. in depth. A cross-cut is driven from the bottom of the shaft for 400 ft. The lode varies considerably in width, from 6in. to 3ft., having an underlie of about 80°. The block of stone on which mining operations have been confined is very short. It has been stoped up above the bottom level for about 100 ft. The crushingbattery consists of fifteen heads of stamps and one berdan, fitted with the ordinary quicksilver and blanket tables. The battery, which is connected to the mine by a ground-tramway and chute, is driven by a horizontal steam-engine having a cylinder of llin. in diameter. During the last year the battery returns show that 2,083 tons of quartz had been crushed for a yield of 5240z. retorted gold ; while calls to the extent of £600 were made. The new syndicate which purchased this property is said to have got 350z. gold during the time they carried on operations up to the 31st of March last. Cumberland. —-A low-level adit was constructed some years ago; and at 500 ft. in from the mouth of the adit a shaft has been sunk to a depth of 200 ft. The stone found at the bottom level in the shaft is of very low grade, but it gets better on the intermediate level, which is over 100 ft. above the bottom level. The block of stone the company are working is 80ft. in length, having an underlie of about 65°. The lode averages about 2ft. in width, and the quartz contains about 25dwt. of gold per ton. The crushing-battery is erected at Deep Creek, consisting of fifteen heads of stamps and three berdans, which are driven by a steam-engine. The quartz from the mine is conveyed for about one mile by an aerial tramway. During the year ending the 31st March last 722 tons of quartz was crushed, which yielded 7850z. gold, representing a value of £3,183 Is. Id.; while calls to the extent of £1,800 have been made, and a dividend of £600 paid. The latter seems a peculiar method of financing, seeing that so large a sum was required to be made in calls. Golden Lead. —A low adit-level was commenced about three years ago, but the want of sufficient funds has prevented this work from being proceeded with. It is now in about 650 ft., and in going this distance a good-looking lode was cut through, but no gold was found in it. On the upper workings the adit-level has been extended for another 100 ft., which makes the total length of the level now 700 ft. The leaders on which the company were formerly working are pretty well stoped out to the surface, but unfortunately the stone was of too low grade to pay expenses. There has been nothing but a continual drain on the shareholders for years to keep this mine going. About Christmas last some prospecting was done on the top of the hill, ahead of all the present workings, and a leader containing a fair amount of gold was found on the surface. A trench was opened out for 250 ft. in length, and the leader continued for the whole of the distance, varying from lin. to 6in. in thickness, and 21 tons of stone was taken out, which gave an average yield of about loz. gold per ton. Notwithstanding the smallness of the leader, the manager informed me that this stone was taken out and carried for some distance on men's backs to the aerial tramway, and crushed at a total cost of £23. An uprise is now being constructed to stope out this stone from the adit-level, which is about 160 ft. below the surface at this place. A great deal of work has been done in this mine, and when taking the thickness of the lode into consideration, very low-grade stone has been made to pay the expenses of working—something like 4dwt. per ton—but the company has every facility for getting the stone crushed at a cheap rate. There is an aerial tramway, about a mile in length, connecting the mine with the crushingbattery, which, consisting of ten stampers and two berdans, is driven by a Pelton water12—C. 3.