1864. | Mining, Mineralogy, and Metallurgy. 487 
mineral districts. Gambling transactions, and they are nothing more, 
cannot be associated healthfully with any legitimate industry. 
We had hoped the Mines Commission would ere this have made 
their Report to the House of Commons. We are informed that this 
Report, which is a most voluminous one, will be published during the 
ensuing month. It is unfortunate that the recommendations it may 
give, will not have the advantage of that consideration, during this 
session of Parliament, which so important a matter, as the health of 
our mining population, demands. We hope that Lord Kinnaird, or 
some of the Members of the House of Commons, who are on this 
Commission, will embrace an early opportunity next Session of pro- 
curing some legislative enactments to prevent the recurrence of those 
conditions which are easily remediable, and which involve the loss of 
life and the destruction of health amongst the metalliferous miners. 
We are pleased to see that Mr. H. Curwen Salmon has commenced a 
series of papers ‘On the Mines and Mining Operations of Cornwall.”* 
No man can treat this subject more satisfactorily than Mr. Salmon, 
some of whose descriptions of our large and important mines have been 
very valuable contributions to this class of literature. At the Dudley 
Scientific Art and Industrial Exhibition, there was held a conference 
on Practical Mining. Mr. Rupert Kettle read on that occasion a paper 
“On the wasteful methods of working the South Staffordshire coals,” 
and called attention to many sources of loss in connection with the 
system persevered in by the ground bailiffs of that district. There 
was some angry feeling manifested; but there is every reason for 
hoping that much good will result from this conference, and that the 
South Staffordshire coal proprietors, and the colliers, will have to 
thank Mr. Kettle for calling attention to their shortcomings. 
Mr. Arundel Rogers, Barrister-at-Law, of the Inner Temple, has 
supplied a want in a very satisfactory manner. Few things are more 
obscured than the laws relating to Mining and Minerals. Mr. Rogers 
has endeavoured to give in a clear and comprehensive manner a state- 
ment of the laws of mines in England, Ireland, and Scotland.t Every 
one being connected with mining explorations, would act wisely to 
possess this work. 
Having a remote connection with our subject, we may direct at- 
tention to a singular instance which has been brought forward to prove 
the preservative powers of the waters of old mines. M. Morin ex- 
hibited before the Academy of Sciences of Paris a piece of pine-wood, 
a portion of a wheel which has been found in an ancient mine in Por- 
tugal. It is believed to be at least 1,400 years old, and is now ina 
tolerably complete condition in the Conservatoire des Arts et Meétiers. 
This preservation is due without doubt to the influence of solutions of 
sulphates of iron and of copper in the waters of this abandoned mine. 
* «The Mining and Smelting Magazine: a Monthly Review of Mining, Quarry- 
ing, and Metallurgy,’ &e. May, 1864. Simpkin & Marshall, London. 
+ ‘The Laws of Mines, Minerals, and Quarries in Great Britain and Ireland ; 
with a Summary of the Laws of Foreign States, and practical directions for 
obtaining Government Grants to Work Foreign Mines. By Arundell Rogers, Esq. 
London : Stevens, Sons, & Haynes. 
