[ 14G ] 



reached a depth which brings the works under the Mining Act, 

 ■with the clauses of which the Government Inspector had called upon 

 the Company to comply, Buch as steening the main opening to the 

 pit, forming ventilating shafts, &c. ; and it is the first work in 

 Sussex which has ever been brought under the Mining Act. The 

 gypsum bed bored through by the Exploration Committee is about 

 50 feet thick, and lies only about 100 feet below the surface. Some 

 members of the Company suggested putting down a tramway from 

 the pit to the railway at Battle ; but no preparation has yet been 

 made to construct it ; a more prudent idea having, pi-obably, been 

 mooted and acted upon, viz., the raising of some two or three 

 thousand tons of the gypsum first, in order that it might be seen 

 what they had to carry. 



The works — both of the Exploi-ation Committee and the 

 Gypsum Company — lie in a very deep hollow of the wood; so 

 deep, in fact, that the only thing visible but the works is the blue 

 sky overhead ; and Mr. Willett explained that one great advantage 

 gained by selecting this site was, that the same stratum was 

 touched at 1,200 feet which could only have been reached by 

 boring 3,000 feet in Archer's Wood, where the boring would have 

 been at an angle. 



There being nearly an hour to spare, the party resolved upon 

 acting upon Mr. Willett's suggestion to visit a "petrifying 

 spring " in the neighbourhood ; he undertaking to act as guide. 



The visit to the spring took longer than expected ; so, rather 

 later than had been arranged, the party, after partaking, at Mr. 

 Willett's invitation, of refreshments at Netherfield "Vicarage, 

 where that gentleman was staying, returned to Hastings by road, 

 reaching the Swan Hotel, High Street, at a quai'ter to six, where 

 they found an excellent repast waiting for them. Mr. Alderman 

 Cox, the President, pi'csided, Mr. Alderman Mayall and Dr. Ward 

 occupying the vice-chairs. In consequence of time being so short, 

 the usual formal speech-making was dispensed with, but the 

 company did not separate without first drinking the health of the 

 Pi-esident, the Hon. Sees., and Mr. Willett, and thanking them for 

 what they had done for their enjoyment. Hastings was left by 

 the 7.20 train, and Brighton reached shoiily after nine, after a 

 pleasant day's outing. 



