2 Editorial Notes. 



cost less than plates. With regard to manuscripts, a good deal 

 of editorial time is often v/asted over such matters as incon- 

 sistencies in the use of capitals, italics, and hyphens, and by- 

 references not given in the standard form. It is perhaps hardly 

 necessary to insist on the expense occasioned by extensive alterations 

 in proofs. All this may seem somewhat ungracious, but our kind 

 friends the authors of papers are asked to remember that the 

 editorship is a purely honorary post, which has to be combined with 

 the many other avocations of a somewhat busy life. This must be 

 the excuse for this little lecture. After all, we are only asking con- 

 tributors to edit their own papers. 



***** 

 Some time ago we ventured to comment in these columns on the 

 attitude adopted by the Government towards the present deplorable 

 position of the non-ferrous metalliferous mining industry of this 

 country, a subject which must be of interest to all geologists. It 

 was pointed out that the Secretary for Mines rather went out 

 of his way to intimate that in no circumstances could any financial 

 help be given. This contrasts strongly with the official attitude 

 towards coal-mining. It is true that the country can continue to 

 exist without metalliferous mines, while without coal any form of 

 industry is impossible, nevertheless, the present state of affairs is 

 no less than a disaster to the community. The chief factors in the 

 situation are the low price of metals and the high price of coal, the 

 result being that even with all possible economies working costs 

 must exceed any possible value of the output. In justice to the 

 miners in this industry it should be made clear that labour troubles 

 have little to do with the matter ; they are unemployed from jio 

 fault of their own, and would be only too glad to work for reduced 

 wages, or almost any wages. But the general economic conditions 

 are too strong for them. Furthermore, owing to the enormous 

 price of coal it is found impossible in most cases to continue pumping 

 the mines, which are now flooded, and many of them will probably 

 never open again. Thus a valuable industry is being permanently 

 lost to the country. So much for reconstruction after the war. 

 We suggest that public money judiciously expended in subsidies 

 towards keeping the mines in a condition to render resumption of 

 work possible at some future date would be a wise investment and a 

 true economy. 



***** 



We have, however, an ulterior motive in raising this question here ; 

 namely, to call the attention of our readers to the terrible conditions 

 of distress that prevail in the mining districts of Cornwall. We do 

 not for a moment suggest that the miners and their families in other 

 areas are less deserving, but we do not happen to be so well 

 acquainted with the facts elsewhere. In the chief mining district 

 of Western Cornwall, including the parishes of Camborne, Redruth, 



