Geological Soc'ielTj. 151 



the end of every two or three months a general meeting of 

 the adventurers is summoned, a statement oi ihe accounts 

 is laid before them, and the profit or loss is distributed to 

 each according; to the aniount of his shares. 



The general detail of management is usually delegated 

 tn one per>on, under whom are subordinate superintendants 

 called cap!ains, selected from among the working miners 

 for their skdl and character. 



3. The work of the minc.-s, both on the surface and below 

 ground, is almost universally contracted for by the piece^ 

 at a kind of public auction held at the end of every two 

 months, an acciu-ate survey and measurement of the whole 

 being previously taken bv the captains. The lowest bidder 

 haslhe.tef; and in order to execute it, he associates to 

 himself from one to eleven men. women, or chikiren, ac- 

 cording to the nature of the work. An account is thea 

 opened between the principal captain and the contractor, 

 in which this latter is credited with all the tools, candles, 

 gunpowder, and subsistence money required by him and his 

 gang durino; the term ; at th'J end of which the tools and 

 articles not used are returned ; the account is balanced, and 

 the gain or loss upon the contract is declared to the {>er- 

 sons 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 proportions to check the natural temptations to 

 charge exorbitant prices, and to encourage a wasteful con- 

 sumption. 



5. The smelting compmies for copper have seldom any 

 share of the mmes. There are about fifteen copper com- 

 panies, all of which have agents and assay yfficers in_^Corn- 

 uall, though the smelting it>elf is carried on at Swansey, 

 A weekly meeting is advertised 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 care- 

 fully kept separate from that of another), are offered for sale. 

 Previous to the day of sale, the persons intending to pur- 

 chase attend at the mines for the purpose of taking sam- 

 ples, which are iaune'd.ately put into the hands of the assay 

 masters. The agents for the smelting companies being 

 thus furnished with the requisite inforntaiion, attend at the 

 meeting, and each hands up to the chairman a note or 

 ticket, ecjniaining the price per ton which he is disposed to 

 give. The chairman then reads aloud the various offers, 

 and the highest is declared the purchaser. 



K4 EDIN- 



