of the Mines of Cornwall and Devon. 321 



the most of their talents by looking after pitches, v/liich though 

 unproductive in present appearance, may improve in working, is 

 owing a great proportion of the lesser discoveries constantly made, 

 and which contribute in no small degree to the profit of the adven- 

 turers. 



The tribute work of Cornwall may be thought to be similar 

 to what is done in many other mines, as in Derbyshire, where the 

 men raise the ore at what is called a capc^ or at a certain sum for 

 every ton of ore they may produce. But it will appear that though 

 this approaches to the Cornish plan, yet that it falls very short 

 of it. 



The payment in Cornwall being in exact proportion to the 

 selling value of the ores, which is there settled very accurately 

 according to the metal contained in them, not only instigates the 

 miner to dicover and produce as much as he can, but leads him 

 to consider every circumstance which may diminish the expencc 

 of returning it, or may enable him to produce the.greatest quantity 

 of each metal at the lowest charge of dressing as well as raising. 



The tributor's account is charged with tools, materials, and 

 money, in the same way as that of the tutwork men, and they 

 are likewise debited with the wages of the persons employed to 

 dress their ores. The credit side of their account is not closed until 

 the ore is actually sold and weighed oif to the smelting companies 

 who may purchase from the mine, as the value of every tributor's 

 parcel is compared with the aggregate assay and sale, before they 

 are settled with, and the differences, if any, divided among the 

 whole, by an increase or drawback on each. 



In the copper mines, when a tributor's parcel of ore is ready, 

 it is weighed off by one of the captains, and turned over to the 

 general heap, or as it is called, \.\\q public parcel ^ at the same time 



Vol. II. 2 s 



