SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 265 



shares, which they distribute among themselves, and those who 

 are allowed to join them, in various proportions. At the end 

 of every two or three months, a general meeting of the ad- 

 venturers is summoned, a statement of the accounts is laid be- 

 fore them, and the profit or loss is distributed to each, according 

 to the amount of his shares. The general detail of manage- 

 ment is usually delegated to one person, under whom are sub- 

 ordinate managers, called captains, selected among the working 

 miners for their skill and character. 



3. The work of the mine*, both on the surface and below 

 ground, is almost universally contracted for by the piece, at a 

 kind of public auction held ;.t the end of every two months j 

 an accurate survey and metsnrement of the whole being pre- 

 viously taken by the captains. The lowest bidder has the set, 

 and, in order to execute it, he associates to himself from one to 

 eleven men, women, or children, according to the nature of 

 the work. An account is then opened between the principal 

 captain and thecontractor^in which this latter is credited with 

 all the tools, candles, gunpowder, and subsistence-money re- 

 quired by himself and his gang during the term ; at the end of 

 which the tools, and articles not u*ed. are returned, the account 

 is balanced, and the gain or loss on the contract is declared to 

 the persons interested. 



4. If materials for the use of the mine are purchased from 

 those holders of shares who deal in the articles wanted (as is not 

 unusual) great vigilance is required in the other proprietors to . / 

 check the natural temptations to charge exorbitant prices, or to 

 encouTage a wasteful consumption. 



5. The smelting companies for copper have seldom any 

 share in the mines. There are about fif een copper companies, 

 all of which have agents and assay offices in Cornwall, though 

 the smelting itself is carried on at Swansey. A weekly meet- 

 ing is advert zed to be held at some place near the principal 

 mines, where the ores on hand, allotted into suitable parcels, 

 (the produce of one mine being kept separate from that of ano- 

 ther) are offered for sale. Previous to the day of sale, the 

 persons intending to purchase attend at the mines for the 

 purpose of taking samples, which are immediately put into the 

 hands of the assay-masters. The agents for the smelting 

 companies being thus furnished with the requisite information, 



attend 



