194 DESCRIPTION OF THE OPERATIONS AT DOLCOATH MINE. 



stroke, which in some respects is preferable to a double-rod engine ; 

 for although a longer time is occupied in ascending and descending, 

 yet it can be erected at a much less cost and is attended with less 

 danger than the double-rod. About 30 minutes are occupied in as- 

 cending from the 212-fathoms level (240 fathoms from surface), but 

 it is in contemplation to erect a more powerful steam engine shortly 

 by which the rod can be worked faster, and the ascent accom- 

 plished in much less time. We find the man-engine to be a great 

 improvement on the old system of climbing ladders ; for not only 

 can the miners do more work, but older and more experienced men 

 can noAV work in the deepest parts of the mine who could not 

 otherwise have done so. 



Our stuff is draAvn to the surface by kibbles and wire ropes. 

 The kibble will contain one ton of stuff, and the ropes are made 

 of steel wire, 3|- inches in circumference. One steam whim draws 

 from two shafts at the same time, there being one kibble in each 

 shaft ; so that whilst the empty kibble is being sent down in one 

 shaft the full kibble is being drawn to surface in the other. Under 

 some circumstances " skips " would undoubtedly be preferable to 

 kibbles, but our shafts being so small and deep, considerable time 

 and expense would be required to make the change, and we have 

 therefore endeavoured to make the best of our present circum- 

 stances. In ordinary working we can easily draw with one steam 

 whim from the bottom of the mine 6 tons per hour.* 



On being drawn to surface the rocks are " spalled " or broken 

 into small pieces of two to three inches in diameter, to prepare it 

 for being stamped. The large rocks are broken into smaller pieces 

 by men, but the " spalling " is principally done by girls with small 

 steel sledges, at a cost of about fourpence halfpenny per ton. A 

 strong and experienced girl will spall from 2 to 3 tons of hard tin- 

 stuff per day. We have made some trial of Blake's Patent Stone 

 Breaker, which we believe will be found more economical in some 



Taylor, ibid, X, p. 65. Lemon, Francis, Eichards, and Jennings, ibid, XI, 

 pp_ 1,5-1-27. Francis, ibid, XIII. p. 22. Puckey, ibid, XIX, p. 38. Moissenet, 

 Annales des Mines, Fifth Series, XV, pp. 1—45. Mining and Smelting 

 Magazine, I, p. 366. Leifcbild, Cornvmll, its Mines and Miners, p. 155. 

 Epitome of Evidence collected by the Royal Commissioners on Mines, pp. 24— 

 S3. Twite, ibid. Appendix B, pp. 296—7. 



* Moissenet, Annales des Mines, Sixth Series, II, pp. 155—272. Mining 

 and Smelting Magazine, III, pp. 161, 225, 272, 350; IV, pp. 19, 88, 151, 327. 



