244 Timehri. 
Turning to the prospects for organised capital, itis easy to see that, 
with the numerous waterways stretching all through the auriferous 
territories, dredging may be regarded as a very promising outlay for in- 
vestment. Already one company with a capital of $240,000, operating 
four dredges, has paid 5247 in dividends, from a gross production of 
24,424 ozs to date Another recently incorporated company, at present 
operating only one dredge, is also full of promise, and has recorded a pro- 
duction to date of 4,033 ozs. The dredge workings at Omai were practi- 
cally the most successful part of their undertakings, and yielded 4,392 ozs. 
Prospective dredge operators will always have to realise that allowances 
have to be made for local conditions. First of all come the difficulties 
of ‘ Tacoubas,” 7.e., old fallen trees of almost imperishable hardwoods, 
lying deep down under the water, and whic!: foul the buckets and have 
to be removed, Next comes the comparative shallowness of our gravels ; 
no where in the colony have there been found gravels up to the present 
time of such a depth as are found, say, in Oroville. As a consequence, 
lines have to be more often changed and new alignments taken up. 
Taking these delays into consideration, it is therefore well to figure that 
no dredge can treat a yardage of earth much in excess of one-third of 
its full capacity. This, of course, is due to the enforeed delays and 
stoppages outlined above. Any operators ignoring these facts will 
eventually find himself faced by disappointment and perhaps financial 
failure. 
Hydraulicking has so far been responsible for the largest records of 
gold won by organised capital. At Omai, on the Essequibo river, a 
production was recorded of 27,123 ozs., and at the |assiwinni on the 
Barama river, N.W.D.,, a gross production of 10,178 ozs. has been won. 
The operations at the former place were eventually shut down through 
the exhaustion of their capital, and the immediate difficulties imposed on 
a further supply of fuel. This fuel question will be referred to later on. 
Omai, it might be mentioned, has proved the most payable area yet 
discovered in the colony, and has been responsible for a gross production 
of close on 100,000 ozs. from an area of about 60 acres. The Tassiwinni 
in the N.W.D. closed down after a very short career, from much the 
same cause, plus the circumscribed area of their holdings, water, and 
timber rights. Undoubtedly hydraulicking in British Guiana offers ad- 
vantages by its freedom from all dangers of litigation on behalf of nearby 
townships which in some countries are prejudiced by the inevitable foul- 
ing of streams and so forth. It may be well also to record that at Omai, 
whereas the prospections gave a depth of about 14 feet as payable, in 
actual operations; values were found to continue apart from quartz to a 
depth in some instances of from 100 feet to 125 feet, thereby greatly in- 
creasing the valuable material. Gravity water was not attainable in the 
above-mentioned properties, artificial means were adopted, which in uearly 
all cases proved expensive. With the many waterfalls available, electricity 
may be used to advantage for all purposes of power. It must be borne in 
