The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-25 00:00:00

MINING INTELLIGENCE.

(From the Mining Journal of this day.
It has sometimes happened in a particularly dull season
' like the present, when money has become "tight" and
scarce, and the general public, guided too often by that most
uncertain of barometers--the funds—vacillate between the
hopes of peace and war, and keep their money in reserve,
that some good discovery in a mine has enlivened the hearts
of adventurers, and caused excitement in the market for
shares ; so that, whilst other securities were flat and falling,
mines were in the ascendant. This, however, cannot
be said of the last few months ; lodes have maintained
a most perfect indifference to change, excepting for the
worse; and although the love of 20 per cent. still causes a
slight demand for some of the dividend mines, there is no
disguising the fact that many of the speculative mines, even
with fair prospects, and such as would in ordinary times
have commanded good premiums, are now quite unsaleable,
unless at merely nominal prices. Tho fear of a panic
has been the means of creating one in this description of
stock. The dealers, finding that shares were forced for sale
waiting.
in all directions a short time since, held aloof from buying ;
always. follows in the
in good
and now they can, and are, ppiicikicensf
andup qsu_hia.e.rtelys
progressive mines at absurdly low
the reaction which, sooner or later,
wake of times like the present. War, if it comes in earnest,
must '
however it may affect Government securities,t,tinevitably
raise the price of metals to an extent. la. will greatly benefit
the determination which appears to
mining property ; whilst
on of totally
in Cornwall, - suspending some of
have been come to
the mines which do not hold out '
sufficient prospects of suc-
cess, will ease the
, calls," which have been for some months
a serious drawback to speculation, and al so cheapen labour,
materials, and machinery.Market—Bar Silver, containing gold (all
In the Bullion
lb.
to b
5 gra in the e paid for), 58. 2d, per oz.
gold above
'thout old
Bar Silver w-17 1
standard. g , ss. lid, per oz. standard.
Gold, 775.
Bar 90. to 7 s. OAd. per oz. standard. Spanish
Doubloon's 78s. 6d. per oz. Columbian Doubloons, 775. 6d,
per oz. Fine Cake Silver, 66id, per oz.
The Gold Mining Share Market this week, in sympathy
with the general heaviness of the Stock Exchange, has shown
a decided downward tendency. Even the stocks most in
favour have suffered, and for many descriptions quotations
are merely nominal. On the whole, in the total absence of
demand, this market continues to wear a very unfavourable
appearance. The accounts from the Australian gold dig-
gings are important, inasmuch that they corroborate
previous reports, that at the present there is no defi-
ciency in the yield of gold. A falling off has been ob-
served in several places, but this has been amply commensura,ted
by the increased yield at other localities. The price of gold dust
in California was 17 dols. 45c. Coal and hardware were in
demand, but other articles in general were at a discount.
The American companies working gold mines in California
appear to be progressing favourably, and making returns ;
the English associations, it would appear, are making experi-
ments, constantly sending the returns of assays, but never
showing any actual results ; and it is a question to be con-
sidered by the shareholders, whether the whole capital
of the several associations will not be absorbed by these tri-
vialities ? After two years' supposed working the public have a
r ght to expect more than mere assays, which may have been
made from " slogging stones," and the local superintendents
of these companies should endeavour to set themselves right
with their proprietary.
In miscellaneous shares the market has been heavy, and
laud shares have experienced a counts:l.olu fall,

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