ee 
Mining in Devon and Cornwall. 365 
The ores of many of the femi-metals, as zinc, cobalt, 
arfenic, manganefe, &e. are feattered in difierextt places, and 
of late have received attention. 
‘Mining has been much improved within this century. 
Till about a hundred years ago, the water was drawn from 
the mine by dint of humen labour; but within thefe feventy 
years the application of hydraulic engines has become gene- 
ral. The introduétion of the fteam-engine formed a grand 
gra in the annals of mining; as in many fituations no other 
power, that could be commanded, could poffibly work the 
pumps neceffary to raife the water from the bottoms: the 
confequence has been, that many mines have been worked 
that were formerly abandoned as impoffible to be profecuted. 
Other improvements of late years have been creeping in; 
the drefling of ores, or properly feparating them from the 
earths, &c, in which they lie, is much better managed than 
formerly. 
Great fpirit is to, be feen in the works in Cornwall; pro- 
digious fums are laid out in erecting powerful machinery, 
fometimes even before any quantity of ore is feen. This 
often well repays thofe who expend it, efpecially if done 
under the direction of experienced and fkilful managers, who 
are good judges of the appearances and fymptoms on which 
is founded the expectation of finding a valuable return. 
The very {pirited and laudable exertions that are making, 
at a great rifk, to bring to the public ufe fo valuable an 
article as the copper mines produce, have lately been damped 
_ by fhutting up the channel of trade with regard to this com- 
modity. The purpofe for which this is done, namely, a re- 
duétion in the price, cannot in the end be anfwered; for 
even fhould that for a time take place, the deep, and confe- 
quently expenfive mines, and thofe which produce ores of 
inferior quality, will probably be ftopped; and thus, a {maller 
quantity coming to market, the price muft again advance, 
perhaps higher than it now is. In the mean time, fhould 
it operate ta reduce the price, a valuable fource of traffic will 
be loft to the nation; the revenue will fuffer; individuals be 
diftreffed ; and numbers of people not ufed to any other way 
of life become deftitute of the means of exifience, 
. X. On 
