The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-07 00:00:00

MINING IN SPAIN.

Therefore upon a farm such as you have stated, there
would be a saving of 1021. 7s. 6d.?—Yes. Then taking
that at twenty years' purchase, it will give 2,0471. 103.;
if you take it at thirty years' purchase, it will amount
to 3,071/. ss.
Have you given the supposed rental of that farm?—
No, I have not; the rental would be about 4001.
This expense, then, would be in addition to the rent?
—Yes.
And the same farm which without a railway would be
only worth 4001. would be worth 5001. after a railway
was established?—Yes; 10s. an acre more.
You have stated the advantage which a particular farm
would have in being able to send its produce to market
by railway, and bringing back manures; will you state
what is the advantage in respect to stock in particular?
—The advantage in respect to stock is very great indeed,
both in bringing lean stock from the district in which it
is reared to the richer district in which it is fed, and also
for the transmission of the cattle, when fed, to the
market for the consumer.
Are you able to show to what extent that works?—l
have some statements here upon that subject; the rate
hitherto charged by railways for the conveyance of stock
is pretty nearly the same per mile as the expense of
driving, and where the great saving occurs is in the
condition of the animals, especially in fat stock ; the
loss from driving them being equal in the case of fat
bullocks on a drive of from 60 to 70 miles to the whole
expense of the transport; it is at least 5 per cent. upon
the value of the bullock.
The advantage as regards the conveyance of the pro-
duce is an advantage of so much per ton?—Yes.
Was rot the use of manures imported from abroad
limited to certain distances from the ports?—Certainly,
either from the ports, or from canal communication.
The introduction of railways enables them to be sent
to much greater distances at the same cost?—Decidedly.
In that way districts which were not able to profit by
those manures are now able to do so?—They are.
In consequence of the introduction of railways, have
not there been manufactories established in different
parts of the country for the manufacture of sulphuric
acid for the use of agriculture?—Yes; there has been a
very extensive introduction of artificial chemical manures
in consequence of the facility of transport, and I have no
doubt that it will very greatly increase.
What manures do you principally allude to?—I allude
to Liebig's chemical manures. I have not myself, in my
experience, found any great efficacy in those manures;
but there arc other manures which have been found
very efficacious ; there is the urates, prepared from
urine; there is bone dust; there is rape cake, and nitrate
of sods; and there are mixed manures, consisting of seve-
ral ingredients, chemically combined.
Is not the use of sulphuric acid for agricultural pur-
poses considerably increasing?—l think it is; it is very
much used for dissolving bones.
May not railroads be used to carry manures from
towns to a much greater extent than was formerly the
case?—Certainly.
And in that way the waste that now takes place will
hereafter, it may be hoped, be prevented?—To a consi
derable extent.
-
Have you considered to what extent railways may be
made useful for the purpose of
mixing
soils?--Yes, I
have.
Will you state your opinion upon that subject?—The
transport of earths for mixing soils,
if the roalroads
could carry them to the immediate ground where they
were to be applied, would be of very great advantage;
but the difficulty of availing yourself of the benefit of
railways for the transport of soils is, that the soil must
be refilled, in most cases, into common carts, and carted
to a considerable distance.
Railways would be useful only in cases where those
earths could be easily obtained?—Exactly.
Take the transport of sea sand?—Sea sand in Ireland
is carried thirty miles up the country in little carts, and
is found to pay the farmer for the carriage when applied
to clayey and mossy soils.
And therefore if the charge made for the conveyance
of earths was very low, should you think that in that par-
ticular case the calcareous sand from the sea shore might
be carried profitably for considerable distances into the
interior?—l think so; and in many instances where
there are moors and waste land, it would be well worth
the while of the proprietor, having a railway passing
through that district, to construct a tram railway from
the railway on to the moor or waste land.
Is not nitre also, and lime, in certain districts, used,
which might be transported with advantage to great dis-
tances ?—Yes.
You are aware of the improvements which have taken
place in agriculture, by the introduction of those foreign
chemical manures ?—Yes.
Is not the utility of them as stimulants limited to a
short period ?—Bone dust, which is brought very ex-
tensively from the continent of Europe to this country,
is a very permanent manure. Guano is less permanent,
but it has this advantage, that it enables the farmer to
grow an extended breadth of green crop, for the feeding
of cattle and sheep; and if the green crop is grazed, he
is enabled to increase the produce of his farm.
But that requires to be renewed at short periods?—lt
requires to be renewed at shorter periods than bone-
dust, but it has established extra stock manure upon the
farm.
But would altering the earths be a permanent im-
provement of the soil ?—lt would: a great deal of mossy
soil, if you lay on even half an inch, in some cases, of
sand, or more, especially alluvial soil, it will render that
ground productive for many years.
Is it necessary, in order that these manures may be
made extensively useful, that the charges upon railroads
should be very low ?—lt is.
You have given a calculation of the benefit to a farm
on the supposition that the rate per ton shall be Id. :
what would the advantages be, supposing the rates were
to be reduced to one half or one quarter ?—There can
be no doubt that a IGw rate of charge would very greatly
tend to the increased consumption of manures, and to
the transport of earths for agricultural purposes ; that
would give a much increased produce to the land, which
would enable the agriculturist to furnish his commodity
at a lower rate; that again would increase the consump-
tion in large towns; and in manufacturing populations it
would also increase a greater traffic upon the railways,
and enable them still further to reduce their rates ; and
as the heavier articles are more consumed by the work-
ing classes, it would add very much to their comfort ;
and there are great tracts of country which would be
cultivated to much advantage if favoured with railway
communication, which are now allowed to lie compa-
ratively
Loioknbga r
therefore,en to those results, ought not rail-
roads receiving.
high
profits to be obliged to extend
branches laterally to districts which want of communi-
cation has left in comparative unproductiveness ?—I
sotccaudrvraendtatgoe meif,by
so that
should be divided as regards railways
that
there might be systems of railways
upon this point, that
some public autho-
rityestablished for those different sections, according to their
respective wants. A system so established would be en-
abled
to provide branch railways into districts which
could not of themselves afford to pay for a railway; they
would be enabled to do that, because this branch, though
in itself, would pay as
it did not pay part of a general
system, in consequence of the additional traffic that it
would bring upon the line.
Referring again to the benefit to agriculture from the
introduction of railways, and consequently, of cheap
conveyance, can you give the committee any particulars
of the advantage of the transport of the carcases of animals,
as compared with the old system ?—Without a railroad
it is impossible to transport fat cattle any greater dis-
tance than from 50 to 70 miles, without very great dete-
rioration, but railroads will afford the means of trans-
porting
those cattle 300 or 400 talks with great ad
vantage, and in carcases they may be transported 700
miles; and in that way meat may be brought from the
most distant parts to populous districts at a very smll
additional expanse, which, with the expense for trans-
porting either beef or mutt= in the carcass, doee not

Many of our correspondents, J. G. among the number,
have evidently mistaken our remarks upon mining in
Spain, in our papers of Nov. 7th and the 28th. On re-
ference to them it will be found that in favourably
noticing the Asturian Mining Company, we referred
solely to their Cinnabar mine, La Eugenia, as being
likely to handsomely remunerate the shareholders, and
as having already ore discovered to the extent of several
thousand pounds, upon a trifling outlay of 2,700/. We
never went so far as to imagine, much less to express,
that the produce of the Cinnabar mine would pay com-
mon interest upon the capital of the company, as exhi-
bited in the extraordinary accounts inserted (against the
wishes of the directors) in our last week's publication.
From those accounts it would seem that from deposits
on shares and loans, the capital already raised and ex-
pended amounts to 74,8881. 1 ls. 6d. Out of this, the
sum of 51,7661. Bs. 3d. has been spent upon iron works,
which, as yet, have made no returns; and, judging from
other mines abroad are, to say the least, of equivi_cal
♦alue. These works, however, and this expenditure have
been the pet concerns of the directors, whilst the Cinnabar
mines, the only things of value they have, were (according
to their own report) thought unworthy of their notice. Thus
the interests of the shareholders on the Company were
upon the eve of being wrecked, had we not called atten-
tion to them in our article of the 7th ultimo. So much
for ourselves. In vindication of the part we have taken
in discussing the matter, with regard to the future pro-
gress of the Company, it certainly, if we may judge
from the "confessions of the board," requires practical
men of business to govern it, and should not be allowed
to remain under the sole influence of men who prefer
remaining in doubt, to taking the trouble to arrive at
truth.

Botallack Mine, Nov. 17.
Dr.

£1,288 15 4
525 16 5

To labour cost
Merchants' bills

£1,814 11 9

By balance in purser's
hand last account £427 5 9
Copper sold, less dues 359 18 2
Tin sold, less dues 413 6 2
Sundiies
1,2 1 14

Balance agst adventurers £612 17 8
Since the meeting a part of the reserved tin has been
sold at 405. per ton advance, to pay off the balance,
leaving 1,400/. in stock to the end of August. There is
a discovery of ore in the 125-fathom level end, 3 feet
wide, from which. in a few days, 30 tons of copper ore
were broken.—Railway Herald.

DRAMATIC INTELLIGENCE.

The alterations in progress at Covent-garden Theatre
in anticipation of the new operatic experiment, are upon
the most extensive and novel scale, so that if that noble
edifice is ever again to be adapted to the purposes of the
national drama, it will cost a large sum to restore it to
its propriety. It may be remembered by some few of
our older ply-goers that as the house was first con-
structed under the orders of Sir R. Smirke, by means of
certain recesses and apertures (which obtained the name
of pigeon •holes), it was capable of holding many more
spectators (auditors they could hardly be callcd) than
att,rwards ; the area was reduced for the benefit of
hearing the actors, but it is now to be enlarged even be-
yond the original size, so as to afford much more room
than was ever before• contemplated. For musical pur-
poses this may not be so objectionable ; and as there is
to be a ballet (which we prophesied some months ago,
for without it there was not, in our opinion, the remotest
chance of success), it signifies comparatively little how
far the persons are removed, as long as they can get a
sight of the stage.
It is the present intention of the lessee of Drury-lane
to produce Balfe's new opera, " The Bondsman," on
Monday, 14th inst. We have not heard who is the
authrir of the words, but we believe that they will be
found to be by the same managerial dramatist, who has
of late years furnished the librettos of most of the new
musical productions at this theatre. The pantomime,
now in active preparation, has been invented and written
by one of the sons of the late Thomas Morton, in his
day so successful a dramatist. Young Morton was the
author of both the last pantomimes at this house ; and,
if we are not mistaken, of one at Covent Garden, while
it was in the hands of Madame Vestris, all of which had
an extraordinary run.
Wallace has composed a new opera, which has been
accepted at Drury lane, and which will follow Balfe's
unless the success of the latter should render any other
novelty this season unnecessary. We hope that it may
be so.
The Keeleys have recently renewed their term at the
Lyceum at an advanced rent, and a building, which two or
three years ago, instead of yielding a profit was a charge to
the proprietors, is now let by them at a very remunerating
price. This beneficial change has been accomplished by
the skill and talents of the present lessees, who this sea-
son are about to try the, to them, new experiment of a
pantomime ; but, as may be imagined, very unlike the
common-place performances usually given elsewhere at
Christmas.
We need scarcely say that Planch6 is the writer and
compounder of the new fairy tale in preparation at the
Haymarket to gratify the younger (and indeed older)
visitors of our theatres at the approaching merry season.
No man produces this species of exhibition with so much
tact, and evinces such nice discrimination in his burlesque
between wit and the approaches to vulgarity. The
boundary is narrow, and, as most of our authors of this
class are aware, is easily overstepped.—Sunday Paper.

EXCLUSIVE DEALING AT HONITON.—We regret to
have to report a case of exclusive dealing, which shows
that a remarkable spirit of bigotry still lingers in this
fair county. A Mr. Joseph Lang has lately taken off
the grocery business, formerly and for many years con-
ducted by Mr. Pidgeon. Mr. Lang is a very respectable
man, and the quality of his goods is said to be of the
highest order. Among those people in the neighbour-
hood who used to deal with him, was Mrs. Simcoe, of
Wolford Lodge, wide w of the late General Simone, and
mother of the excellent young ladies whose zeal and
talent as stonemasons were recently noticed in the
Western Times. and have since been duly eulogised by
Punch. Mrs. Simcoe dealt with Mr. Lang tome weeks ;
but the week before last, she sent her bailiff to him to
say "she could not deal with him again, and she the
more regretted this because his goods were of such excel-
lent quality, that she had never been better served in her
life, but her conscience would not allow her to support
000 schismatics.rffdTtcehrffeh
Christian
s
taken duty. We have no doubt that the gentlewoman,
iu issuing this cruel mandate, felt
.that she was doing an
act of service to Heaven, and setting a worthy example
to the neighbours, who in some measure look up to her,
from her position and profession of piety. But if the
upper class has learnt so little of the spirit of Christianity
as to entertain such views and to be animated by such
feelings as are displayed here, we. hope that any Govern-
ment measure of education which shall be proposed,
will have a special reference to their benighted and
pitiable condition ; as their example may have such a
pernicious effect upon the poor, who habitually in this
country look up to th.eel;
.pfrmorriecuahahknn—edyobfws
amonguecaht
weather
povertyne rts,
ht
instances
nesue
duringbep sepei
oenqrf
being
cti
tl
hthaeese ss esapst
ignoranceaa. i
_s -et
fied, are, generally speaking, far beyond the influence of
such degrading notions. We shall have to reverse the
highertsociety,wiandlTtWEATHEß.—The
andeEsl orders,
b
Wesitern Times.
week has been particularly fine and open for the ad-
vanced period of the year. On Sunday se'nnight a frost
set in, which continued up to Saturday evening. During
Saturday the frost was not so severe as on the previous
days, but the roads round town were rendered most
slippery and dangerous by the large quantity of rhinr,'
frost that had settled on them during Friday night, atiii
which was not dissolved in the shade. At eight o'clock
on Saturday morning, the thermometer, which on the
previous evening was down to 26 degrees, had risen to
31 degrees, showing oily 1 degree of frost; and at
twelve o'clock at noon it was up to freezing point (32 de-
grees); but at six o'clock on Saturday evening it had
fallen 2 degrees, with the wind S.S. W. The ice on the
ornamental waters in the Regent's and St. James's Parks,
as well as on the Serpentine and the Long Water and
Round Pond in Kensington Gardens, not being more
than an inch thick, is stul most danger( us, so that t.kat-
ing has not yet commenced. Late on Saturday night a
thaw took place, with a mizzling raw.