INTRODUCTION. 7 



of such a low grade as to render remunerative mining impossible. 

 He recommended, however, that certain trial crushings should be 

 made, but should these fail to yield satisfactory results, he was of 

 opinion that it would be better to cease all mining operations. 



In the following year, Mr. A. G. Charleton reported for the same 

 company on the properties which had previously 



Charleton. . . . -.. „, _, - JL-. ,. r! ,, 



been examined by Mr. Darlington, and also on 

 the Phoenix property at Pandalur. His conclusions were similar to 

 those arrived at by Mr. Darlington in the previous year. With 

 regard to the Phoenix property, owing to the fact that the ore did 

 not promise a yield of more than 3 dwts. to the ton, he recommended 

 the complete abandonment of the works, unless further tests, then 

 about to be made, gave substantial reasons for continuing. 



With regard to the properties previously reported on by 

 Mr. Darlington, he advised that average samples be taken from certain 

 points, and should these prove satisfactory he recommended the milling 

 of a large quantity of ore from each of those points. " If ", he con- 

 tinues, " on the other hand, these tests should turn out unsatisfactorily, 

 looking at the general result that has attended mining almost through- 

 out the district, or even now, it becomes a question whether all thought 

 of mining in the neighbourhood had not better be abandoned." 



The results obtained up to this time throughout Wain&d were so 

 poor that mining operations were gradually suspended ; the Phoenix 

 mine, however, was kept open for some time longer, and is said 

 to have yielded sufficient gold to pay working expenses, but was 

 eventually shut down, by order of the Government, owing to the 

 frequency of accidents. Work is also said to have been carried on in 

 a desultory way on the Alpha Gold Mining Company's property, 

 near Devala, till about the year 1893, when all further attempts 

 were abandoned. 



It having been decided by the Government of India that a re- 



„ . examination by this department of the chief 



Reasons for re-exam- J r 



ination. auriferous localities of India was desirable, the 



( 7 ) 



