14 = Account of the Gold and Silver Mines of Hungary. 
not now exceed one-third part of that amount, and the whole 
weight of gold seldom exceeds 100 marks per month. Of this 
silver, the royal mines in the district of Schemnitz yield about 
25,000 marks annually, and about 300 marks of gold; the rest 
is coliected from the royal mines about Kremnitz, and the ad- 
ventures of private companies. 
Mine of Windshacht.—The principal objects of curiosity in 
the mine of Windshacht being the machinery, I was put under 
the care. of the Ober Kemst Meister or chief director of the 
machines ; and being dressed in a miner’s jacket, overalls and 
cap, and a leathern apron, we proceeded to the mouth of the 
shaft, where is erected the Bremse machineas it is here named, 
by which the ore is drawn up, and all materials for constructions 
or repairs let down into the mine. This machine consists of a 
double overshot water-wheel, on which the water falls from a 
reservoir supplied by pipes fom the hill which lies above it; and 
as the water is made to fall upon one side or the other of the 
wheel, it moves either in one direction or the contrary. The 
axle of the water-wheel is connected to a cylindric beam sup- 
ported at each end by masonry, round which is constructed a 
gigantic reel, upon which two cables are coiled in contrary di- 
rections: thus the communication from the surface to the bot- 
tom of the pit is carried on, the one winding and drawing up, 
whilst the other unwiids and lets down. -To regulate the mo- 
tion of this massive engine, a fly-wheel of considerable diameter 
is connected with the axle near to the end at which the water 
acts; and it is by two beams, the one above and the other be- 
neath, which can be brought in a moment to press upor this 
fly, that the motion of the whole machine is checked and brought 
under command. The management of the regulator, as well as 
the care of directing the water upon one side or other of the 
water-wheel, is intrusted to one person, who standing at the 
mouth of the mine directs the whole with ease and certainty. 
My next object was the machinery by which the water is lifted 
from the deeper parts of the mines to the height of the Emperor 
Francis’s level: we therefore descended that part of the Leopold 
schacht which is appropriated to it. The shaft we went down 
was completely perpendicular; and the whole of this descent 
was performed by means of ladders; each ladder about ten steps 
in length. Having descended the first, we came to a platform 
of boards, on the opposite end of which was a trap-door which 
opened upon the second ladder; and having descended ten steps 
more, we arrived at another platform, and so on. In this way 
we went down seventy-two klafters (fathoms), during the whole 
of which we were close to the rsachinery, in a constant noise, and 
amidst the continued dropping of water, which soen found its 
way 
