Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
65 
a few feet ot pipeelay, excellent if not far riclier dirt is to be 
found, proving without a doubt Ibat it is the richest and longest 
bed^ol stanniferous dirt ever struck at such a depth in the Colonies. 
^ The managing partner, Mr. J. J. O’Caly, is effucting coii^ 
siderable improvements in his tin-dressing ap])liances, as he is 
(u-ecting a coTintcrpart of the machine invented by Mr. W^esley, 
and working so successfully on tlie (treat Britain Tin Mine. 
Tlie yield of tin ore from the Vegetable Creek Co’s. Vline lor 
Ibe past eighteen months is three hundred and fifty (350) tons, 
ihc average weekly yield is seven tons with forty-five men and 
two horses. 
Tlie largest mining property on Vegetable Creek is that of tlic 
Great Britain Tin jVLining Comjiany, under the inanagemeut of 
Mr. W. H. Wesley. It consists of 500 acres, freehold, and 
situated at the head of the creek. On this mine a tramwav was 
laid by the former management to truck the wash-dirt down to 
the river Severn, a distance of 0 miles ; and a 12-horso power 
steam-engine erected at the tip heads to jnimp water for sluicing , 
but the tramway after being used a few times was found to be an 
utter failure, thereby incurring a considerable loss to tho company, 
it being found that the dirt could bo more economically wasluhl 
on the mine. The stcuin-cngine is now removed back on tlie 
mine, and it is the intention of the present manager to work 
some new appliances of his own invention for tin-dressing pur- 
poses by steam, thereby effecting a considerable saving in horse 
and manual labour. 
Tliis mine, like all the others, is raising but little tin on account 
of the want of water. There are but lia1f tho number of men 
employed that would otherwise be required if there was a suliicient 
quantity of water for sluicing. Three large dams have been con- 
structed on this property, one of which, built some time ago, 
proves of immense value, being the only one full ; the two others 
excavated on another part of the mine, during this long dry 
weather, when once filleil, are capable of holding Huflicient water 
for three months’ use. The stanniferous wasb-dirt here is not so 
rich as it is in the lower part of the creek. The alluvial deposit 
being almost on a level flat, and in consequence of being at tho 
head of the creek, has been loss subject to Hoods ; but tlic tin is 
more evenly diffused over the width of the lead about tw'O chains 
(130 feet). The stri])ping averages about 5 feet deep, and iu 
many places ])resent8 an appearance of a ferruginous sandstone. 
The wash-dirt or stanniferous deposit is about 18 inches deep on a 
soft claystone reef, and has the appearance of a heap of soft clay 
Avith about 50 per cent, of Hag.stones mixed together and thus 
allowed to set. The richest deposits occur where the stones are iu 
greatest abniidance, and the most cemented. Thus all the alluvial 
dirt on this mine requires to be well puddled before the tiu can 
