The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-30 00:00:00

THE GOLD FIELDS OF NOVA SCOTIA•

Under the above heading we published in a late
number an article referring to the districts which
have been successfully worked for gold. We have
since been favoured with the report of P. S. Hamil-
ton, Esq., the Chief Commissioner of Mines at
Halifax, which contains a large amount of infor-
mation relative to this auriferous country, and
from which we gather the important fact that there
are few other British colonies in which capital can
be more satisfactorily employed than Nova Scotia.
It may be observed, en passant, that Nova
Scotia is distant from England not more than a
ten days' voyage by steamer, being in the direct
route of vessels sailing between Liverpool and Bos-
ton, United States—in fact a line of steamers run
every fortnight between these two cities, calling at
Halifax for passengers and merchandise. These
vessels are constantly freighted with gold from
the mines of Nova Scotia, and there is every reason
to suppose that future years will show a consider-
able increase in freights of the precious metal from
Halifax to England.

As everything relative to gold mining—especially
from such an authority as the Chief Commissioner
of mines—must be deemed interesting, we give
the following information, extracted from his
annual report on the mines of Nova Scotia for
the year 1866 :
" GOLD MINES.--Our gold mines contiriue to be
worked steadily and satisfactorily. The area over
which operations are carried out is yearly extend-
ing, and as a rule, if not universally, the quartz
lodes being worked show no decrease in richness,
but rather the reverse. Improvements in machinery
and increased skill in mining have led to the pro-
fitable working of many lodes, which in former
years were abandoned or left untouched as too
unprofitable to be mined."

As we shall probably have much to say in future
on the interesting ...übject of gold finding and
gold mining generally, we shall commence by
describing the districts of Nova Scotia, in which
up to the present time the precious metals (gold
and silver) have been found in the largest quan-
tities.

The first and most westerly from Halifax is
known as "The Ovens Gold Fields," on the At-
lantic shore of the province, near Lunenburg har-
bour, and we take the following description of it
from the Prize Essay, published in 1862, on tc Nova
Scotia and her Resources," by Thomas F. Knight,
Esq., of Halifax :
"The Ovens is a peninsula which forms the
western side of Lunenburg Harbour, extending
from the town of Lunenburg, a distance of five
miles, into the Atlantic Ocean, terminating in
bluff promontory, about forty feet high, with
steep cliffs on the eastern side, but on the western
side sloping down to a stretch of level land, with
another bay beyond. The average breadth of this
peninsula is about half a mile, presenting a front-
age to the sea, where deep caverns have been
worn into the bluffs by the action of the waves.
The quartz veins run in all directions through the
promontory, and are visible to the naked eye with-
out labour. Whilst attention was generally
directed to the quartz veins in the upland rocks,
it was conjectured that the sands below the cliffs
would be impregnated with particles of gold.
Experiments proved successful, and these shore
claims proved wonderfully remunerative. The
astounding revelations of gold lying at their feet
startled the imaginations of the stolid Germans,
and so great was the excitement for some weeks
before the claims:were adjusted that buxom matrons
and maidens might often be seen in diligent search
for some shining nugget, or gathering sand with
the hope of extracting the precious dust."
Such is the description of the Ovens. The quartz
veins, described as running in all directions, are
impregnated with gold in a singular manner, and
we have recently been shown a quantity of this
auriferous quartz which is the subject of much
research all over the world. If we are not mis-
taken, this British colony of Nova Scotia must ere
long form a great attraction to emigrants of every
class, inasmuch as, apart from its gold fields, it
possesses great facilities for agricultural operations.
Coal fields and mineral productions are opening uP
in great abundance, and the fishing grounds in the
province are known to be some of the finest in
the world.

We shall take the opportunity of referring to
this subject in future publications, taking for our
next article the gold fields of Tangier, which afford
much scope for the investigations of the gold
seeker and the geologist.— Westminster Gazette.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

COLCHESTER-JULY 27.

The weather has been very unsettled since Thnrsdali
and to-day the supply of grain was again very limited, •
Every description of wheat advanced fully 2s per qr.
Spring corn scarcely anything doing, but prices firm.
Wheat, white 72s 7?3 i Beans. Mazagan......33s 3a„s
red Gtis 70s Middle and 5ma11...44s 4°-
Barley l2s 48s , Peas, white 3Bs 4i:
Oats .... —s grey ..36s 4.-

CHELMSFORD—JULY 26.
This market was very moderately supplied with wheat'
but business was steady. Last week's prices advanced 1
per qr for infArior and 2s best sorts. All other grain firm'
fully maintaining the currencies of last week.
4^S 1a2,9, Wheat, old white.... 585 726 Peas, Partridge
new .06 75s White • •34s ",,-;
old red ',66 666 B Aling ........366 4,,v;
new. 61s 706 Dun.... ..... ... 3813 4'o
8ar1ey..... 26s 35s ditto, new....--s --;,, s
Chevalier I,s 53s Beans, Tick, old __Os 74,
Grind.n,g v6s 32s
Malt 66s 746
Harrownei7iCkl..432os6 44:51

Chevalier 68s 76i
Oats ••• 2os 26s

new....4is
Mazagan • :934314

ABERDEEN-JuLy 26.

At our market to-day there was a quiet business done,
with a thin attendance. Prices for all kinds of grain Wel.°
on a par with last week.

White wheat 58s Od to 63s OD
Lied wheat
Potato oats 50s Od to 58s Odf 621 b bushel.
1/1
28s Od to 29s Od}
40lb V bushel.
Common oats 26s 6d to 27s Od
Bere 35s 6d to 36s 6d t ,
''3lb V bushel,
Barley 35s 6d to 36s 6d j
... ~ . ....

Oatmeal 20s 6d to 21s 6d' l boll of 280•
Flour, fine 52s Od to 54s Od sack of 28°J).

KIRKCALDY—JULY 27.
Small supplies of all kinds of grain. Wheat brought
It over late rates.
Wheat. Barley. Oats.
First...— 61e 6d ' 33s d 31s 6d
econd 63s Ott I—s Od 3:3s 0,1
Third Ols Od —s Od —s Od