The Express.
London, England, 1852-07-13 00:00:00

FINGAL.

The Cornwall Chronicle of March lit says It is a
difficult matter to report, with any degree of confidence, on
the progress of the Fingal gold discovery. Statements Irons
parties engaged in the search are varied and widely ditto.
rent. On N 1 ednesday last a letter was received in town
from a man named John Jones, dated Fingal, the day be-
fore, in which he urges two of his ' mates' to make the
utmost haste to juin him, and to find their way to him if
they had to ' beg their way.' Ile states in his letter that he
had obtained an ounce a-day, ou an average, since
the Friday week. By the same post we received
• communication from a person prospecting, who
assured us, up to that time the quantity of gold
obtained by ell the ' diggers' then at work did
not amount to one ounce. An able steady man re-
turned to town yesterday, after a week's hard labour, who
assured us that he had sunk several holes, each of them
to the depth of six feet, and that below that depth, he
found a solid b^d of rock, through which he could not pene-
trate. Ile 'poke of the quantity of gold procured as very
insiguificant, but felt thoroughly satisfied that the hilly land
was rich in the precious metal. Another man returned
yesterday from k ingal, who has worked at California, at
Ballarat, and at Bathurst, who expresses himself confident
in the existence of gold in abundance in the tiers, and also
on the East Coast. We await, therefore, with patience fir
further iufurmation, in the belief that perseverance on the
part of persons engaged in the search will ultimately be re-
warded by the discovery of the deposit."
We (Tasinortion)are indebted to Dr. Ward for the fol-
lowing communication, dated Fingal, 4th of March :
" Thiage remain in blahs quo as regards the average
yield of the diggings at Lioldeu Valley, but every day adds
to the number of persons flowing in to visit them. No
reasonable mind can be in doubt that a rich deposit of gold
exists somewhere, not far distant from the scene of present
operations ; but it is difficuit for those not actually engaged
in the search to estimate the uncertainty of hitting upon the
track of the main deposits. Scientific knowledge is im-
portant to direct one to the points where it may probably
exist, but geologists are still so entirely in ignorance as to
the physical conditions under which the gold was spread
abroad, that it is impossible to fix, with precision, upon the
particular spots that may be relied upon. The geologist may
see many indications that justify a preference,fout it is only by
the labour of the persevering, industrious digger that the
deposits can le revealed. It happens here, as it always does
in similar cases, that a number of people engage themselves
in seeking who expect steady reward for their labour ; and
who, if they do not realise a certain imaginary amount of
success, become dissatisfied and hopeless. What we want
are parties directed by intelligent leaders, and animated by
a spirit of determined perseverance—men who can and will
devote sufficient time for attaining the object in view. This
cannot be accomplished by merely scratching up the soil or
digging down a few feet; and then, because gold does not
appear by ounces, giving up the attempt in dis-
gust. Many disappointments must, of course, be
expected : they are inevitable in such adventures ;
but the quantity of gold diffused through the
soil, and sub-moil, is so considerable and so general that it is
impossible to doubt that a great and rich accumulation
exists not far distant. Near Melrose, the residence of Mr.
James Grant, jun., six miles away from the present dig-
gings, several pieces of gold have been found within the last
day or two, equal in size to the largest yet obtained here,
and the data famished by geology warrant the conclusion
that nearly the whole of the north-east angle of the island,
from St. Patrick's Head to Cape Portland, is likely to turn
out a rich auriferous field. Here appearances are in every
respect as encouraging as ever. Yesterday I was ' prospect-
ing' up a creek, on the southern side of the tier, which se-
parates it from ' Holden Valley,' and observed the most
promising indications—though, from the absence of water,
we could not ascertain the presence of gold by the process
of washing as often as I wished; yet when we had an op.
portunity of washing, gold was obtained."