244 
Becords of the Oeological Surveg of India, 
[voL. XI. 
adventure which has given averages, for largo quantities of stone, exceeding 
those attained in the earlier trials. I would therefore here record a few data 
regarding the operations of each of the Companies, collated from their tables 
so that the good points in each may be calmly weighed against the general 
average refeiTcd to. 
The Alpha Company crushed, in about eight months, oidy 769’5 tons of quartz 
at a cost of Rs. 2,971-6-0 for raising and crushing, and obtained 91 oz. 12 dwts. 
12 grains of gold, giving an average of 2'27 dwts. This work, according to the 
original estimate of 15 tons per diem, ought to have been done in two months 
and a half, reckoning 20 working days in the month. 
The Prospecting Company crushed 99'85 tons, cost not given, in about 
eight months, and obtained 14 oz. 19 dwts. 19 grains, or an average of 3 dwts. At 
half a ton a day, the working-power of their stamper, this is a fair rate of work. 
The Prince of Wales’ Company crushed 322'66 tons in a little over six 
months, cost not stated, and obtained 164 oz. 17 dwts. 6 grains of gold, or an 
average of 10'5 dwts. Such work ought to have been done in a little more than 
a month with the Alpha machinery at the originally estimated rate. 
The average cost of raising and crushing one ton of quartz by the Alpha 
Company was Rs. 2 and Rs. 1‘85 respectively. Under the Prince of Wales’ 
Company, the charge for mining was Rs. 4T5, and supposably the same rate 
for crushing as with the Alpha. In both cases, these rates are far too high. No 
returns have been supplied as to these charges with the Prospecting Company; 
but, from the experimental way in which the trials were made, the cost of raising 
was probably higher than in either of the other adventures, while that of crush¬ 
ing must have been proportionally low, considering that water is the motive- 
power employed. 
In all cases, time has been the most expensive item; the charges for super¬ 
intendence, pay of engine-drivers, permanent hands, and live-stock are far 
beyond any estimate which might have been proposed. Por instance, in the 
account of expenditure of one Company, the charges for these amount to 
Rs. 3,942-12-10 in nine months, when the whole transaction, if properly organised 
and systematically carried on, even allowing for the delay consequent on putting 
the machinery in order, should have occupied, at the most, only half this time. 
TABLE I. 
Memo, of eight months’ ermhing, Alpha Gold Company Limited. 
Month- 
Quartz 
crushed. 
Total yield. 
Average yield. 
Cost of raising. 
Cost of crushing. 
Totad. 
1875. 
Tons. 
oz.dwts.grs. 
oz.dwts.grs. 
Es. A. P. 
Rs. A. P. 
Es. 
A. 
P. 
September ... 
99 
8 12 0 
0 1 17 
172 0 0 
126 1 6 
298 
1 
6 
October 
40 
8 0 0 
0 4 0 
176 9 6 
170 15 6 
347 
9 
0 
JMovember ... 
December 
] 2G9 
24 5 12 
0 1 19 
291 14 0 
314 3 6 
606 
1 
6 
