The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-26 00:00:00

BERDAN'S GOLD•CRUSHI\'G MACHINE.

Yesterday a very large number of gentlemen and
a few ladies attended, on the invitation of Mr. Berdan, to
witness hie newly invented machine for pulverising, wash-
ing, and amating gold and other ores, in operation at
the Windsor Iron Works, City toad.
The construction of the apparatus is simple. It consists
of a cast-iron basin, seven feet in diameter, revolving upoc
an inclined ails or shalt. In this basin are placed two cut-
iron balls, the larger one 31 inches in diameter, and weigh-
ing two and a half tons, the smaller one 24 inches in dia.
meter, and weighing one ton. Under the basin, and at-
tached to and revolving with it, is a furnace of conical
form. The whole, being bung in a strong framework of
timber, receives motion from hand, horse, or steam power,
by means of simple ceg-gearing.
The operation is as follows : fire is made in the furnace
beneath the basin ; quicksilver is placed in the basin, and
the auriferous ore thrown in, in lumps of considerable sire.
The apparatus is then set in motion; the balls, by their
gravity, revolving in a direction opposite to that of the basin.
The two balls, moving in contact with each other and with
the inclined bottom of the basin, receive a spiral as well as a
rotary motion—a combination which is found to possess
the greatest efficiency in the pulverisation of the ore. The
ore is brought under the balls, and instantly crushed to an
impalpable powder. The crashing is effected, of course, at
the point of contact between the large ball and basin, and
below the surface of the mercury. Thus, the moment the
gold is diaeugaged, it comes in contact with pure and
heated mercury, which seises upon it, and secures every
particle. The refuse powder rues to the surface of the
quicksilver, whence it is carried off, in the form of • thin
paste, by a small stream of water, which runs in at the
upper sae et the basin, and escapes through suitable open-
ings, just below its rim, into a trough placed for the pur-
pose. The tailings may thus be preserved for analysis if
desired. _ .

The novel features of the machine are both mechanical
and chemical. The arrangement of an inclined revolving
buin in connexion with balls of corresponding size and
weight, produces a rolling and grinding motion never here-
tofore attained, and as efficient as it is new. The chemical
novelty consists in the heating of the mercury, which
greatly increases its affinity for the gold. The result of the
combination of these features is, that every particle of gold
is secured.

Thus the machine erudite, washes, and amalgamates at
one and the same operation. It has been found that a ma-
chine consisting of four basin; in one frame will pulverise,
wash, and amalgamate 40 tons of ore, of average hardness.
in ten bouts with 15-horse power; but any number of
humus may be used in one frame, nod driven by one main
shaft. The esperimeut of yesterday was made with a two
basin frame, in one of which 4441b5. of Poltimore ore was
placed, and 3201b5. of ere from mines in Merionethshire,
were placed. The operation commenced at 12 o'clock, and
was over at 2, the result being that in that short period two
" nuggets " of pure gold wen produced—that from the
Pohlman ore weighing 5 dwta. 11
_grains, and that from
the Welsh ore weighing 51 dwts. The operation excited
the greatest interest amongst the visitors, several of them
being persona of high scientific reputation. The experi-
ment was considered to be entirely successful, and Mr.
Belden was felicitated on the result.

DRAMA.

HAYDIARKET.

Mr. George Vandenhoff, after a long absence in
the United States, appeared last evening, for the
first time at this theatre, in the character of Hamlet.
His performance did not furnish room for much com-
ment, as it neither exhibited any striking beauties,
nor betrayed any remarkable faults. In face, person,
and deportment, he was a very fitting representative
of the character. His conception of it was
just, and his acting, in every scene, was
marked by intelligence and propriety. Not
only there was nothing to find fault with, but
there was much to approve, and that very highly.
Yet the effect of the whole was not what might have
been expected from the goodness of particular parts.
There was not that power, possessed by the great
tragedian, of stirring the inmost hearts of his audience
and commanding their strongest sympathies. Mr.
Vandenhoff was much and deservedly applauded, but
the applause was a cool expression of satisfied judg-
ment, never an uncontrollable burst of enthusiastic
feeling. One thing which detracted from the
effect of his performance wee its slow-
ness. He dwelt too much upon everything,
thus dragging out the scenes to an unusual
length, and producing a corresponding amount of
feebleness; for in acting, as in everything else, a
certain impetus—a certain rapidity, is an essential
element of power. Mr. Vandenhoff, in short, is an
actor of much merit, capable of doing justice to an
extensive range of parts ; but Hamlet, the most
difficult of all parts, does not seem to be within the
reach of his powers. The play, in its cnsembk,
moved very heavily, and lasted till the unusual (we
should suppose unprecedented) hour of a quarter past
eleven.

A CHILD EATBN BY A PIO.—A horrible case WY
heard at the Clifden sessions, at which Mary Krne, an
infant, awed by her father, John Kyne, a person named
Michael Mahe', to recover compensation for a frightful
personal injury. The defendant was the owner of a pig of
remarkable ferocity, which went into the house of Ipso
during the absence of all the family except the plaintiff,
and pulling her out of the cradle, ate off one of her hands and
three fingers of the other. The defendant had had notice
of the brute's ferocity, for a short time previous it had
attacked another of Dyne's children. The court awarded
the plaintiff 101., to be paid by yearly instalments of 21., the
monoto be placed is the hands of Lord Leitrim, and in-
by his lordship for her benefit.

THE CHOLERA.