The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-26 00:00:00

THE SEARCH FOR GOLD.

In consequence of the long-settled opinion of
many competent observers that the northern ranges
of this province were of a character likely to con-
tain large deposits of gold, and further, in conse-
quence of small portions of the precious metal
having been found by persons in the vicinity of
Tanunda and Angaston, it was resolved to memo-
rialise the governor on the subject of instituting
an effective exploration. The memorial to his ex-
cellency was signed by nearly the whole of the
commercial houses in Adelaide, and the result was
that his excellency set aside a sum of money for
the prosecution of a direct search. The govern-
ment geologist, Mr. B. H. Babbage, has already
made the tour of 'the Tanunda district, which he
found to contain a large quantity of those rocks
that are usually associated with gold, the district
i.vniomtoarniya.
Mr. Babbage has made a somewhat minute respects resembling the gold diggings of
ex-
ploration of the country over which he has passed.
Tracing the course of the Tanunda Creek, he ex-
amined the ranges forming the basin of its upper
portion, and explored the Kaiser Stuhl and sur-
rounding dykes from Jacob's Creek ou the south-
west. The Kaiser S-uhl is 2,000 feet above the
level of the sea. South of Penrice the " iron-
topped hill' was explored, after which Mr.i-Bab-
bage directed his course to the Gelman Pass Tri-
gonometrical Station. Particular attention was paid
to the character of the cliffs at the head of the
Gawler River, and the basin of the North Rhine
was also minutely examined. The neighbourhood
of Evandale and Flaxman's Valley was also tra-
versed. Mr. Babbage next visited Pewsey Vale.
and after exploring the Barossa Range,
visited
Mount Crawford, thence across the South Rhine
pe twi i c
ieosnftthht
aid Mount Torrens to Adelaide.
The hewer part of the bed of the Tanunda Creek
consists of strata of crystalline mica schist, the
upper part of the creek flowing through
strewn with large quartz pebbles.
Only onehole
of the dozen that have been sunk has lx en really
th
table-land
bottomed. These diggings are 1700
sea level, and are still spoken off
by some
ptiOn o f a few
likely to yield gold; but with the
ct. distant.
firies
specks no gold has been found.
saw basalt and
ejnee ascending (P t above
a sT
very
likelythe
e
'Kaiser Stulh Mr. Babbage first
be
existence of a vol-
Os reaching the
trap, from which he inferred the
tation his canto
German co upnatarayir
rni
go to
nfoamr
for he found himself
tions were pleasingly
verified,
country. Lava and
other volcanic ejectionstone "abcunded. A considerable
mixed with igneous sco-
country, and even the
in the very heart of a
quantity
of over
the crater was determined. The
presumed site
of
this district Mr. Babbage de-
scribesrim, was osftr
characteristics
eel:efboarsmiseorfvtohlecaNnoicrtehrunphti.on,
districts
not
d although he would search for
of Victoria; and
i gold in the centre
he considers that
as closely resembling the auriferousd' •
Rhine,
at the head of the Gawler River, or amongst the
granitic
squats of Tanunda Creek, gold might be
sought for with every reasonable probability of
success. .

TEE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE WESTERN VALLEYS
y.
fireman, 4n.d—oTa on-
ia
Canal
ytcht
Company,
me
employipnaquuy 0, a
hooont
ttr.l:llAeeimrodAnyYro.o—of
tiJNtot3hE:Pnb
iiilll7Tcßhaairi
was killed on the 19th inst.Oni the Western Valleys
branch line, was brought to a termination, the jury hav-
ing sat at Aberbeeg to hear tre evidence. The question
arose whether the points 'were defective, or • whether
broken springs had caused the engine to jilinP of. the
line, as was the case on the Newport sod Hereford line.
William Thompson, rail inspector, said the points were
all right about an hour before the accident, and the road
was in good condition. Mr. Laybourne stated tha
Col. Yelland, one of the Government inspectors, had
examined the line, and stated the engine did neoetleaevne.
the rails from its faulty construction nor the breaking
of its springs. Some other . witnesses havinghavingbn
L ambled the fury returned a verdict of accidental death.