Mr. J. Napier on Copper Smelting. 55 



Each smelter has a resident assayer near the mines. All the 

 ores to be put up for sale on a given day are announced ; and 

 two or three weeks previous, the different assayers, or others 

 appointed as samplers along with the agents appointed by the 

 sellers of the ore, proceed to the yard where the ores are, and 

 take samples, which is done by taking a portion from every part 

 of the heap, mixing them together, grinding the whole fine, and 

 spreading it out upon the gi-ound. It is then divided by lines 

 drawn at right angles thus — 



The two opposite portions, such as 1 

 and 3, are taken, the others thrown back 

 into the heap. This is again repeated 

 with the parts kept until the quantity 

 remaining be sufficient to allow every 

 sampler about 1 lb. weight. These sam- 

 ples are carefully examined by the assayers, 

 each for his own employer. A few days 

 before the sale takes place, the assayers 

 meet, and a list of the lots taken, with 

 the sellers' produce, according to assay, is annexed ; each assayer 

 gets a copy of this list, which he sends to his employer with 

 his own private assays and remarks. The sale is effected by 

 what is termed ticketing. On the day appointed for sale, the 

 purchasers and sellers meet, when a neutral person is appointed 

 to the chair, who is furnished with a Ust of the various lots for 

 sale. He begins by reading over the number and particulars 

 of the lot, when each purchaser writes upon a slip of paper the 

 price per ton of ore he offers, and hands it to the chairman. 

 These are read out and marked down, and the highest bidder is 

 declared pm-chaser ; should two or more bid the same, the ore is 

 divided among them in equal parts. No second bid is allowed, 

 nor any parcel of ore withdrawn. By this simple means, many 

 thousand pounds' worth of ore are sold in a few minutes. The 

 question has been put, whether this be a public sale. Certainly no 

 stranger is allowed to bid. An intended purchaser must give a 

 month's notice previously before being allowed to offer, to ascer- 

 tain the responsibiUty of the party ; but what common law would 

 say is doubtful were a purchaser present with cash. 



After the sale is over, an account is printed of the particulars 

 of the sale, containing every offer ; by which means, and com- 



aring past accounts of sales, a very accurate approximation may 



e made of the stock of each class of ores which any of the pur- 

 chasers have on hand ; this does much to regulate the market, 

 for a certain class of ores is sometimes of more value to a pur- 

 chaser than at other times ; and the object of the other buyers 

 being to make the ore as dear to his neighbour as possible, the 

 value of the ore is thus maintained. The following is a copy of a 

 ticketing paper, which will illustrate our remarks: — 



I 



