Beptember 30, 1809.]
night there has been a reef on both walls in the back stopes, which brings the average size of the reef to about 3 feet 6 inches wide. The prospects are still good, but the true value of the ore can only be known after it is orushed in the battery, I estimate the quantity of stone at grass to be 150 or 160 tons.
KIBE AND SHINE MINE.
Underhand Stopes.-No. 1 stope is 11 feet north on the reef by 24 feet in depth. No. 2 stope is 18 feet long by 21 feet deep. No. 3 stope is 36 feet long by 12 feet deep. No. 4 stope is 40 feet long by 6 feet deep. As the reef is very small in the stope at present, we have decided to shut this mine down pending the result of the crushing. We cut a very hard blue bar of rock on the course of the reef in the last lot of st pes. This caused the reef to be small, namely about 8 inches wide. I have no doubt the reef will make again at 10 or 20 | feet deeper, as the hard b.ue bar will not exist long in the reef channel. We have two men prospecting for the reef south of the shaft | and I feel sure they will cut it in a few days.
ZULU MINE.
Underhand Stopes.-No 1 stope north of main shaft is 6 feet long in the reef by 14 feet in depth. No. 2 stope is 10 feet long by 10 feet deep. No. 3 stope is 1: feet long by 6 feet deep. No. 1 stope south of main shaft is 4 feet long by 14 feet deep. No. 2 stope south is 9 feet long by 11 feet deep. No. 3 stope south is 31 feet long by 7 feet deep. You will see by the depth of the first stopes that the main shaft has been sunk a farther depth of 10 feet since last report
As I have already stated, it is necessary to keep the shaft going down to make stopes. The reef will still average about 18 inches wide and shows nice gold. I expect to have 70 tons of stone from this mine by the
end of this week.
BATTERY,
We started to crash with 10 stamps and two pans on last Monday afternoon, the 14th, and up to date have pat over 80 tons of stone through the battery. I am pleased to state that all the machinery is running very smoothlv. We have lost no time whatever with the ma- chinery.
The Dam is full of water and even if there is no rain for mouths we have sufficient supply for crushing. There is a certain amount of loss in running 10 stamps, but the difficulty
cannot be overcome before the new cams arrive
so as to put the other 10 stamps in working order.
RAUB GOLD.
The following telegram from Raub, dated 13th September, 1899, has been received by the Local Secretary, The Raub Gold Miuing Com- pany, Limited'
"Crushing finished, 2,550 tous realised 1,600 ounces smelted gold."
This, which is a smaller turn-out gold per ton of stone than usual, was quite expected. A friend who had spent a week at Raab informed us three days ago that the "crush" would yield less than usual on this occasion. There had been a good deal of quartz to be dealt with, which was mixed up with mullock, and as it was deemed far too good to throw away, the whole of the mixed stuff was being sent through the battery. And although the gen. eral term "stone" is used, only a proportion of that was really the gold-bearing quartz. Far better a less return than the throwing of a few hundred ounces of gold on the mullock heap. The gold in the stopes can stay there till actually wanted.
This fourth crushing gives no more than a little over 12 dwts. This yields a total valne, at £3 188. per oz. of £6,240, or roundly $62,400;
about three-fourths of the May-June crush. The four crushes this this year as follows the first being abnormaliy high:
1899. tons stone. oz. gold. av. per ton Jan.-Feb. 2,484
23.7 dwts Mar. April 2,500 May-June... 2,450) July-Aug. 2,550
29'4 2,100 2.100
1,600
"
21
19,20 16.7 12.15 .17 In order that these returus may be under- stood in relation to expenditure we may mention again that all the working charges including depreciation, and also the whole work of devel oping, really an addition to the value of the property, amounts to some £1,500 a month.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Last year the expenditure was about £18,000, the gold return £50,000, and the profit about £30,000 on a capital of £200,000.—Singapore Free Press.
CORRESPONDENCE,
[We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.]
GERMANY'S SPHERE IN CHINA.
C DAILY PRESS, TO THE EDITOR OF THE
Sir,-When Germany, after hovering about naval the China coast for years looking for station, occupied Kiaochau and extended her territorial possessions there for some distance beyond the port, she little realized the conse- quences of that act. Yet she could hardly have made a better selection of a centre from which to carve out for herself a vast empire in the East had it beeu a premeditated act and not one taken in precipitation after learning the news that Great Britain was negotiating for an extension of the colony of Hongkong by the cession to her of a strip of the mainland, including Mira Bay, a bay which Germany had at one time herself a mind to obtain for a commercial settlement and naval station before & careful feeling of the British pulse had made her aware that Britain would not tolerate an interloper in such proximity as would give the holder of it an unpleasant grip on the safety and prosperity of the Gibraltar and Liverpool of the Far East.
The visible approach of the dissolution of the Chinese Empire has led to Germany recording her claim to a sphere of influence, to be at the right moment converted into a protectorate, and eventually annexed. Her first step was to claim the exclusive right to construct
in Shantung-the trunk railways
line is from Kiaochau to Chinanfu, the capital of Shantung, where it will meet the British railway ascending to Peking from Chingkiang, and by mutual arrangement that portion of the latter line which passes through Shantung and from there on to Peking will be under German control.
The outcome of these combined events and arrangements is that Germany faces Russia in the Far East as she does in Europe and bars the advance of Russia beyond Peking, for they cannot both hold sway there. More than that, having put her hand to the plough she cannot turn back, and she must if she is going to hold Peking, control all the northern Chinese pro- vinces, and bar out from them all Russian influence. Alone she cannot do this, but with the aid of her allies in Europe and that of England and Japan in the Far East she can not only hold back Russia both in East and West, but if she wills it completely destroy her hopes of any further conquests
|
Japan does not altogether relish the turn events have taken, for it is hopeless for her to aim at the control of China, and with her of Asia, now that the Great Powers have each marked out their spheres, even did not the race hatred existing between her people and the Chi- nese and the mutual feeling of "contempt cher- ished by each of these peoples for one another teach them, as it ought to do, that Chinese would never submit to their yoke. The Japanese are, however, eminently practical and ready to adapt themselves to circumstances, hence we will find them ready to accept the inevitable and throw in their lot with England and Germany, their reward being liberty to extend their infinence freely in Korea and in Fukien. both of which fields will be more easily controlled by them and will have the advantage of keeping them a more compact and stronger Power than if they were to spread their energies and influence over the whole of China. These two fields are, ti «reover, as much as they can nudertake with any hope of permanent success, for it will be many genera- tions ere they can hope to consolidate their power in Korea, Formoss, and Fakien. In carrying out her destiny Japan will come into conflict with Russia as regards Korea and with France as re- gards Fukien, hence the necessity for her to seek the friendship of England and Germany, and already there are sigus, very perceptible to those who can read them, of a mutual drawing to gether of these three powers.
With the northern Chinese provinces Ger-
270
many will likewise take the Yellow River Valle and in order to realise the value of the prise her, as a great trading nation, it is only sary to know that the population of this: destined shortly to fall under her control, isn 100,000,000 of industrious people, not na savages, as in Africa, who do not wish to buy even a cotton loin eloth. Great Britain on her part will infinitely perfer to have a mercantile people like the Germans for neighbours than restless and aggressive Rus- sin, who would render it necessary for her to raise an immense standing army in order to keep her in check. She has no desire to be forced into such a policy, and by her support of Germany in North China she obristes it. Germany, on the other hand, gains what she has formerly sought for in vain, viz. the drawing of Great Britain within the scope of the triple alliance, which saves, likewise, Ger- many increasing her expenditure on armainents, for Russia will be paralyzed for aggression in East or West when she realizes that the armies of Germany and Austria may attack, her: in Europe simultaneously with an attack by Eng- land and Japan in the Far East; her fleets would be destroyed and her strongholds on the coast, Port Arthur, Talienwan, and Vladivo- stock would slip from her grasp. As an in- dication of the course of events being as above outlined we have the fact of great German activity in North China; German steamship lines now run to Tientsin and the control of the northern railways is passing into their hands, nor will the British Government oppose this even if a small section of Britishers find it to clash with their interests, for the interents of the British Empire are of more consequence than those of a small body of British investors, though those interests will, doubtlers, be safe- guarded as far as is compatible with circum- stances. Britain, however, must be content to develope and control her own sphere in China and leave other Powers a free hand in theirs.-I ain, sir, yours, etc,
Hongkong, 26th September, 1899,
·F, X.
THE COMING WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY-PRESS. Dir,-As we are on the verge of wär with the Boers in the Transvaal it would be interesting if you could give the public some information as to the probable course of events in the shape of a leader on the subject. That: the matter is of considerable local interest is proved by the fact of a uumber of our fellow citizens, belong- ing to the Volunteer Corps. having come for ward to offer their services at the Cape. It is, nevertheless, possible that their services might be wanted locally, as there is no saying what developments may take place once the British Government are fairly involved and have to ses it through in South Africa.before being able to take vigorous action for the conservation.¡of British interests in the Far East.
It seems to me that if there is bangling on the part of our Generals at the Cape we shall have a long and costly war before the Boers, are sabined, and that will certainly encourage those all over the world who would like to damage
British influence to use their utmost endeavours to do so whilst she is placed at a disadvantage. There is not much likelihood however, of the les- sons of the last war being forgotten, and it is almost certain, if not it should be so, that all at- tacks in force on strong positions will be made at night, for then the marksmanship of the Boers, their strong print, will be discounted, aund Tommy Atkins will be able to get to slowe quarters and use his bayonet, when there will be no question as to whether the rifle or bayonet is to settle the fortunes of the war, and the offlcers not being picked off will be able to lend the final charge. One or two engagements of that sort and the Boers are finished.
BRITISHER. Hongkong, 27th September, 1899.
DAILY. PR*E SIR, So much has been said and written about the Transvaal that is inaccurate leading that when I rent!“ Britisher's appeal to you in this morning's paper I felt inclined to
TO THE EDITOR OF THE