Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-06-06
GOLD FIELD IN SOUTH AFRICA.

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GOLD FIELD IN SOUTH AFRICA. |
rs lav cHloH i9ng-fta!E 's3ls97b
BY the srrivsl of;the bsrque Spring.
box, at Boston, from Cape Town. the
editors Of the Traveller have received
papers TO the eth Of March. These pa.
Pers contain additional par,iculsrs of
the discovery Of what may prove TO be
extensive gold fields in Southern Africa.
The Cape papsrs have hitherto alluded
10 the subject with. great caution; but
now contain numerous letters from reli.
able persons, leaving no doubt upon the
subject that pure GOLD has been found.
The Cape Town Mail Of March 18th
says:-Letlers from BurshersJorp. from
respectable parties, remove all doubts
respecting the discovery Of gold and
copper deposits near Smith6eld. One
letter, da,el March 10, says: Gold is
now found in large nuggets. We have
some splendid specimens here that have
been dug up in the pas, two days. Cop.
per mixol with gold is found in abund.
dHce upon enot1cr Iarm.
The Graaf. Rcinet Herall, Of March
3, says that the Vaal River government
have closed the diggings until it is de.
ciIed whether they shall coin their own
gold, and whether the sovereignty will
be retained or abandoned by tho British
Government. TIE same paper soy e.:
Smithaeld is about 1924 miles from Al.
goa Bay. 1t is the most southern point
a, which gold has been discovered, while
PatchelstrUm is the most no orthcrn. The
distance between The two points is at
least five hundred miles, the whole OF
which, it i. highly probable, will be found
auri(erous. The whole Of this immense
tract Of country is almost unknown,
with tho exception Of a small strip.
The Cape Town papers Of March 22l
!, contain the following additional par.
ticuiars:-The reports from the digginss
received al Bloom Fountain are 10 the
effect that it is hoped that the golden
deposits extend over the whole so, ereign.
ty and Transaal County. A person re.
turned from Smith6eld reports that sew.
eral nuggets Zone Of ,hc size Of a small
nu,) are pure gold. A party Of diggers
were expected at Smi,h6eld liom Gra.
ham Town. ''a.2.f- 1860 @fsn ii'-.
I A letter in the Eastern Province Her.
aid says:-Gold seems to be loun... eve
rywhere- on the Koesberg, in Mosheshs
: country, and on the Sm,hfeld Dixie
1 What the end Of all this will be l can.
,, not tell.
! A letter in the Cape Town Mail from
the Smi,h6elJ Diggings says: The holt
!, lug by Finlay brought them down te
= the bed Of an old river, where agates and
other valuable stones were found. Here
the largest nugget was found, but the
r water coming in in great abundance
: sroppcd farther operations. Other hole.
/ have yielded moro gold, and it has nov
!, u been found in such quantity as to war
= rant the expectation ofIarger, discovery
The gold in some places is found il
the Gentle Of a ridge ofiron stone,( (which
has evidently been thrown up by vol
! canic action, in vein ofqua,tz. TIL
= upper part oil the vein is small, swhic
a gradually widens os the shat. is sunk
:, The most profitable part, the clay, il
II thrown away, the disgers not havin
!. the proper washing rudles: From &C
IL counts l.have received Of California an
Australia, there has been more gol
:, found near the surface here than there
= The deepest shaft that has been sunk !
- i" sixteen feet. Copper ore has also bee
" found Of purity which will aslonis
!, you. believe the copper ore will con
- tribute as much to the enrching Of tn
;. terrltory as the gold discovery. The COP
:. per is found on the surface in WACO
: loads, and contains a considerable pc
centoge Of gold .c'or q
All these statements have Of cours
made considerable stir in the Cap
y Colony. and rush 10 the mines is All
y ticipatea; indeed it has already com
menceJ. If the mines now discovere
. should prove productive, it would prot
. ably cause as great a revolution Of a
fairs there as it did in Australia, an
- perhaps even greater, as il is much nea
= er both England and ,his country: tn
y y run from here by ssiling vessels hs
!. been made in As days.-Chr. Adv, Il
y W.sug Vouu nur 7 acr- -Tha tin