The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 26, 1868

cottrse, that even before the parish put this aercHtioual
4001. on the rateable value, the committee had been
paying greatly over the actual value.
Mr. Edwin Forster was then called. He stated that
he was an auctioneer, in Pall-mall, and had been a valuer
of houses for upwards of forty years. He had been over
the Conservative Club for the purpose of valuing it. He
did not think that the superb decorations added to the
letable value of the building, supposing it was without a
tenant ; and supposing it empty and in the market, and
that the proprietor applied to him for advice, be should
say to him, "If you can get a good tenant at 2,0001. a
year, do not refuse him." If it was given up as a club-
house, it might perhaps do for a casino ; but he should
not consider that a respectable tenancy, although the
rent might be higher. Mr. Forster then mentioned
several large house properties, in the sale or letting of
which he had been professionally engaged, and it was
from knowledge thus gained that he based his opinion
on this club-house.

After this evidence had been given, the counsel engaged
in the case had a short consultation, which being con-
cluded.

Mr. Pashley said he was happy to inform the court
that they had agreed to an arrangement, which would
relieve it from any further trouble in reference to the case
before it, or with regard to the cases of the Atheneum
and Senior United Service Clubs, which stood in the
list. He would wish to mention how it was that the
fresh valuation had been made. The Army and Navy
Club bad been recently built, and was rated at a sum to
which they objected, as being too high in comparison
with the other clubs. All the property of this descrip-
tion was then re-valued, and the result was a reduction
of the Army and Navy and an increase in that of the
others, and this had led to these appeals.
It was then arranged that the net rateable value of the
Conservative Club should 'be fixed at 2,7301., of the
Athenum at 1,7201., and the Senior United Service at
2,2401.

- , ,

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

Wednesday evening the second meetingfor the present
season was held at the society's house, Adelphi. Mr.
Thos. Hoblym, F.R.S., presided.
Mr. STANBURY proceeded to give the announced
lecture on the subject of auriferous ores and Mr.
Berdan's recent inventions for crushing them. The
lecturer devoted the earlier portion of his lec-
ture to the history of gold discovery, from the gold
fields of Scripture down to those of California and
Australia, prophecying at the same time that
these countries might soon find rivals in Devonshire
and Wales, respecting which the lecturer read the re-
sults of recent experiments, showing that gold could be
produced in some cases in the quantities of soz. sdwt.
17gr. per ton. A specimen of Cornish ore had even
yielded at the rate of lloz. 13 dwt. 8 grains to the ton.
The Poltimore gossan has yielded from l7dwt. to 32dwt.
to the ton, and other Devonshire ore 9 oz. to the
ton. These results had been obtained within the last
month, and went to show that the long•cherished dream of
finding gold in profitable quantities in England was
about to be realised. The experiments had all been
made at an expense not exceeding ss. the ton for the
reduction. The same ores had been smelted at a cost of
30s. per ton. The lecturer proceeded to describe the
processes of crushing and smelting, and then to enume-
rate the advantages of Mr. Berdan's apparatus.
At the conclusion of the lecture a short discussion
ensued as to the merits of the machine, in the course of
which

Professor TENNANT cautioned the public against the
hope of finding a second California in England or Wales.
He believed that every pound's worth of gold obtained
in England would cost 40s. in the production. As to
the machine under consideration, he declined giving an
opinion, as he had not as yet seen it in full operation at
the works in the City-road.
Mr. H. MOGFORD begged to inform the learned pro-
fessor that the experiments made in the Poltimore mines
in the production of gold had been eminently successful.
One thing which seriously interfered with their experi-
ments was the claim made by the crown of a royalty in
all mines of the precious metals. in the age of free
trade he thought that all such feudal claims should be
abolished.

Mr. PERKES found fault with the machine, as causing
an injurious amount of vibration and fraction. In ad-
dition to this, a portion of it was an infringement of a
patent taken out by him (Mr. Perkes) three months
before the arrival of the American machine in this
country.

Mr. COLEMAN could not agree with Professor Ten.
nant.

Mr. WOOLMER announced that the Arundel Copper
Company in Devonshire were ready to send up 10 tons
of gossan for the purpose of being crushed and analysed.
Mr. PERICES accepted the offer at once.
Mr. CALVERT gave his confident opinion that England
would shortly be found to abound in quartz capable of
yielding from one to six ounces of gold per ton.
On the motion of Mr. H. CHESTER, Mr. Berdan's in-
vention was referred to the standing committee of the
society to investigate and report.
Mr. STANBURY, for Mr. Berdan, at once acceded to
the arrangement, and the proceedings terminated.