The Sun.
London, England, 1836-08-31 00:00:00

:LADING A

PRICE 71).

ANCIENT AND MODERN MINING.

( From the Literary Gazette.)

Much curious information was afforded at a meeting
of the shareholders of the West Cork Mining Com-
pany, held on the 3d instant at .Salvador House, in
the city, as to the manner in which the Danes obtained
their copper at the time they frequented the British is-
lands. This was done by sinking shafts, or pits, of a
few feet in depth, and applying the action of fire to the
lode of ore in order to its fusion in the earth. In the
workings of the company at Horse Island in the county
of Cork, several of these shafts have been explored ;
and from the richness of the ore, and the extent of
the lode, which is about 15 feet wide, it is evident that
the knowledge of the Danes in mining operations was
'upon the most limited scale. The lode discovered in
the largest excavation is composed of a slaty substance,
intermixed with fluor spar, and abounds with an infinite
-number of small veins of the richest ore, so that it is
is scarcely possible to strike a pick into any part of the
lode without finding the precious petal. It runs
nearly due east and west ; which, with other conco-
mitant circumstances, is a pretty sure criterion of its
continuance. The specimens raised from the shafts
of which we have spoken, and were produced
at the incetinp„ were chiefly crystallised copper, and it
was stated that a qnantity was about to be shipped for
q,vansea, when its richness in bulk would be satisfac-
,„rily asuertaint...l. So,aeritery:4r.krious hammers and
other instruments have been found, and also 'several
brass pans. There are various traditions in the
country as to these shafts, and which, together with
the circumstances here mentioned, would lead to the
conclusion that they are even of an earlier date than
the Danish period assigned to them. It is a historical
fact, that the Carthagenians worked the tin mines in
Cornwall. The Notium of Ptolemy, or Mizen
Head,* is but a few leagues distance from Horse
Island ; and as the whole district, of which that
island-forms part, is one bed of mineral riches, it is
not likely to have been overlooked by. that enter-
prising people. Another copper mine is 'now in work
by the Company, distant three miles from Horse Island,
where the ore which is raised is also of an exceeding
richness; and which, upon assay, has beery found to
contain 35 per cent. of pure copper. The place where
this mine is situated is called Ballydehob, or, in Irish,
the Town of Gold. It is scarcely necessary to add,
that the meeting separated highly satisfied with the
state of the Company's affairs, and an unanimous vote
to that effect was passed. We, in common with all
who desire the improvement of Ireland in particular,
as a main feature of national welfare, wish well to the
prosperity of an undertaking which must needs, in its
operations, largely benefit the surrounding population,
by furnishing employment and adequate remuneration.
Such we have ever maintained would be the best re-
medy for the evils which afflict this superb island.
Since writing the above, we have had laid on our
table, and now before us, a sample of Mineral from
what is called the Danish shaft, on Horse Island, as-
sayed by Messrs. Johnson and Sons at their Assay
Office, and certified by them to have produced the ex-
traordinary result of sixty-nine per cent. of pure cop-
per, and about forty-four ounces of fine silver, in the
ton of ore. The latter, even independently of the
former, is so important, that, if the mass holds out in
any proportion like it, we shall only say, several fo-
reign mines will require little further experiment on
their products.

* The Lizard Point, on the Cornish coast was the Ocri-
num of the same geographer; and all around the mines of
Cornwall were wrought 'by the enterprising Phcenicians.—
[Eu. L. G.]

TRADE OF THE SOUND.-r-Ttre navigation of the
Sound has been much more considerable this year than in
those immediately preceding. If the number of the ships that
have passed' it not so large as in 1832, the total value of the
cargoes is by no means inferior. It is not an uncommon cir-
cumstance for two or three hundred ships to pass the Castle of
Cronenburg in one day, which affords an extremely fine sight
from the coast. The steam-boat stationed at the entrance of
the Sound, to be employed in towing merchantmen, which had
a new machine put into it last year, and is now in excellent
condition, has not been much used this year; but will be found
of extraordinary use to ships on some occasions. In the year
1834, before the steam-boat received its present destination, a
great number of large ships, which could not bear up against
the strong current, were obliged to remain at anchor for six
weeks to the north of the fortress of Cronenburg, while small
vessels, which were able to pass round Cronenburg, went to
the inner harbour of the Baltic, landed their cargoes, took in
others, and passed the Sound again on their return.

In 1739, not quite a century ago, two gentlemen
going from Edinburgh to London state that they made the
journey on horseback; that there was no turnpike road till
they came to Grantham, within one hundred and ten miles of
London ; that up to that point they travelled upon a narro w
causeway, with an unmade soft road upon each side of it;
that they met, from time to time, strings of packhorses,
from thirty to forty in a gang, the mode by which goods
seem to have been transported from one part of the country
to another. The leading horse of the gang carried a bell,
to give warning to travellers coming in the opposite direc-
tion; and he said that when they met these trains of horses
with their packs across their backs, the causeway not affording
room to pass, they were obliged to make way for them an d
plunge into the side road, out of which they sometimes found
it difficult to get back again upon the causeway. Now, the
gross number of persons passing and repassing to Glasgow
yearly amounts to one million five hundred and eighty-seven
thousand one hundred and ninety-eight (1,557,198).

IRISH REAPERS —EAST LOTHIAN.—A great
number of these unfortunate individuals have this season, as
usual, visited this district, and there being little corn as yet
ready for the sickle, they might have been subjected to the
greatest privations previous to the commencement of harvest,
had not some benevolent individuals come forward to assist
them. The Earl of Haddington, Sir Thomas B. Hepburn of
Smeaton, Bart., and Mr. Ferguson, of Raith, M. P., for the
county, have taken on themselves this truly charitable task.
Sir Thomas bestows on each individual, daily, a piece of
money, and the other two an equivalent in bread, and there be-
ing an hour of difference in the time of serving them at each
place, an opportunity is afforded to each individual of sharing
the donations at all of them. For years, indeed, the imme-
diate progenitors of the above-mentioned noblemen and gen-
tlemen have done this ; and they, in imitation of the philan-
thropic practice of their fathers, still continue to extend their
charity to these houseless wanderers. Such benevolent con-
duct is indeed highly praiseworthy and deserving the imitation
of the liberal wealthy of every district which may happen to
visited by the labour:seeking sons of the Emerald Isle. Ca-
ledonian Mercury.

LYNCHING A JUDGE.—During the July Term of
Nicholas Circuit Court, at Carlisle, William Boyd was tried
for the murder of Mr. Smith. The Jury found him guilty of
manslaughter, and awarded as his punishment, confinement in
the Penitentiary for three years and two months. Motion was
made for a new trial, upon the grounds that the verdict was
against law and evidence, and the discovery of new testimony.
This Judge Brown granted on Saturday last, and admitted the
prisoner to bail. The populace were so enraged at the Judge
for this outrage of all law and justice, as they esteemed it, that
they filled the fire engine, placed it at the Court-house door,
and gave him a handsome ducking, as he passed out after the
Court adjourned. They likewise hawg and burnt him next
morning in effigy. When the Judge left Carlisle they hoisted
the black flag and tolled the bell. We do not justify this at-
tack upon the person of Judge Brown; but if the statements
which we have heard, in relation to the trial, &c. be true, and
we have no right to doubt them, they most unquestionably fur-
nish some palliation for the treatment which the Judge re-
ceived at the hands of the people of Nicholas. We give the
people of Nicholas great credit, however, for this modification
of Judge Lynch's code. It evinces much humanity, and its
tendency is as likely to produce the end designed as the more
severe inflictions of " Lynch law." • We had nearly forgotten
to remark that the commonwealth's attorney, who was walking
arm-in-arm with the Judge, was also sprinkled with nauseat-
ing water, but he consoled himself by facetiously remarking
that his misfortune resulted alone from keeping bad company.
—American Paper, July 15.
RED CURRANTS.--Notwithstanding that the En-
glish currant bushes have now generally been some time strip-
ped of their produce, the supply of this cooling and whole-
some fruit continues to be both abundant and in fine condition
at Covent-garden market, and at the shops of the fruiterers.
Vast quantities of this fruit arc sent over from the Nether-
lands and from Elolland ; they come packed in neat round
baskets, containing about twenty or thirty pounds each, and
are sold by weight by the importers. From the care taken in
packing they mostly arrive in good condition, and in size, fla-
vour, and richness of clusters, fully equal our own produce.
The price at the same time is moderate, not exceeding that at
which the fruit was selling at the height of the season. A
considerable quantity of common red plums are imported from
the same parts, and likewise from Bordeaux, from which latter
place are also received large quantities of choice wall fruit.