2o8 
Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
A line of wharf is now being constructed 8,000 feet in length, 
in 100 feet sections, 300 feet apart on the western side of the 
harbour, and on four of these sections four 15-ton hydraulic 
cranes, which are expected to be capable of shipping 1,000 tons each 
in twelve hours, will shortly arrive from England, and a railway 
to connect the wharf with the Great Northern Eailway and 
collieries is now being constructed. 
It is expected that in less than eighteen months coal will be 
shipped from this wharf, where vessels of the largest size can be 
loaded. 
With a view of future extension for increasing the shipping 
appliances, the hydraulic pumping plant now arriving from 
England is sufficient to supply sixteen cranes, so that as the 
demand for our coal increases extra cranes can be erected at a 
short notice. 
Between the southern end of this wharf and Bullock Island 
space is reserved for a 90-acre basin, around which a wharf a 
mile and a half long is proposed to be constructed, which it is 
intended to dredge to a depth of 23 feet, when vessels will be able 
to lie in slack ^vater. 
In addition to the Government cranes and staiths, there are 
the private shipping appliances of the Australian Agricultural 
Company, wdio have five staiths, capable of slopping 400 tons each 
in twelve hours, and the Waratah Colliery Company’s shoots at 
Port Waratah, capable of shipping GOO tons in twelve liours. 
Eacli of the Government cranes has a full and empty line of 
railway, and lifts the coal waggons of G to 10 tons, and slewing 
them round, discharges the coal into the hold of the ship. 
The total quantity shipped last month was about 107,000 tons. 
I shall now commence my observations on the Northern Dis- 
trict Collieries, beginning with those in the neighboui’hood of 
Newcastle, in the County of Northumberland. 
