A Guide to the Mount's Bay and the Land's End / Comprehending the topography, botany, agriculture, fisheries, antiquities, mining, mineralogy and geology of West Cornwall

by John Ayrton Paris

There is also an œconomical department, containing specimens in illustration of the various changes which the ores of Tin, Copper, &c. undergo in the processes of dressing and smelting. Models are likewise to be seen of the machinery which is employed in such operations. The whole has been admirably arranged under the skilful direction of the Curator, E. C. Giddy, Esq.

In the geological department of the Museum are complete series of specimens illustrative of the serpentine formation of the Lizard,—of the slate formation of the "Land's End District,"—of the limestone formation of Veryan, and of the hornblende rocks of St. Cleer near Liskeard. There is besides an interesting series of "Elvans"[16] from different levels in many of the principal mines of the county, together with a collection of veins of metallic and earthy substances.

Among the earthy minerals, we may particularize, as unusually fine, the specimens of Calcedony, Sodalite, Haüyne, Petalite, Colophonite, Vesuvian, &c. In the metallic department, we may notice the Carbonate of Lead, Specular Iron, Arseniate of Iron, the Oxide, Carbonate, Arseniate and Phosphate of Copper, Native Gold from the Tin-stream-works of Cornwall, Arsenical Pyrites, Uranite, Uran-ochre, Native Nickel, &c. Here also may be seen a mineral, hitherto almost unknown,—a Sub-carburet of Iron; it was analysed by that late eminent chemist, the Rev. W. Gregor, who received it from the hands of the Rev. J. Rogers of Mawnan. It was found in a vein about half an inch wide, intersecting either hard Clay-slate or Graywacké. Among the saline minerals in the cabinet are Glauberite, and Sassoline or native Boracic acid.

A Laboratory, containing the necessary apparatus for analytical operations, is attached to the establishment.

In conclusion, we will venture to affirm, that the advantages and enjoyments which such societies are calculated to afford are not only obtained without any expense to the country in which they are encouraged, but that they actually repay in wealth and emolument much more than they require for their support. Had the Cornish Society been earlier called into existence, we should never have heard of the most valuable productions of our country having been thrown into the sea, nor of their having been used as materials for the repair of roads, or the construction of cottages: on the contrary, how many thousand tons of ore might have been gained?—how many years of unprofitable but expensive labour saved? and how many individual adventurers preserved from disappointment, or rescued from ruin? Amongst the efforts made by this Society to improve the theory and art of mining, through the application of science, not the least interesting and praiseworthy is that which relates to the prevention of accidental explosion in the methods of blasting rocks with gunpowder, by the introduction of "Safety Instruments."

How little aware is the great mass of the community at what an expense of human suffering and misery the ordinary necessaries of civilized life are obtained! Few of our readers, we will venture to say, have ever heard of the dreadful extent of the accidents which have occurred in the mines of Cornwall from the use of iron rammers, in the process of charging the rock with gunpowder, in order to blast it. Hundreds have been thus sent to an untimely grave, or, what perhaps is still worse, have been so mutilated as to remain blind and helpless objects of misery for the rest of their days, while their wives and children have been thus driven, in a state of destitution, to the hard necessity of seeking from charity that pittance which honest industry could no longer supply. We must refer the reader for a full account of this appalling subject to Dr. Paris's Memoir, in the first volume of the Society's Transactions, entitled "On the Accidents which occur in the Mines of Cornwall, in consequence of the premature explosion of Gunpowder in blasting rocks; and on the methods to be adopted for preventing it, by the introduction of a Safety Bar, and an instrument termed the Shifting Cartridge."

We earnestly, therefore, entreat the Society to persevere in those laudable efforts, which have already ensured for it the respect of the learned, and the gratitude of the public.—Floreat.

Besides the instructive collection of the Geological Society, the splendid cabinet of Joseph Carne, Esq. may now be seen in this town, for since the first edition of this "Guide," the Cornish Copper Company have given up their smelting establishment at Hayle, at which place Mr. Carne formerly lived as the resident partner. Among the principal excellencies of this collection we may notice Prehnite, in a variety of forms; Axinite in the usual forms of that mineral; Stilbite in flat four-sided prisms, terminated by pyramids; Mesotype radiated; Garnets in twelve, and twenty-four sided crystals; Pinite in six and twelve sided prisms; Uranite in quadrangular tables with the angles sometimes truncated, and also in forms much resembling cubes and octohedrons; Uran-ochre; Native Bismuth; and Specular Iron ore, little inferior in beauty to that brought from Elba,—all of which are from Saint Just. From other parts of Cornwall are Sulphate of Lead (Vellenoweth Mine) in a variety of forms, more especially in one resembling an octahedron; Grey Sulphuret of Copper (Crenver mine), the best defined crystals of which are very obtuse dodecahedrons, and six sided prisms; in some specimens the dodecahedron is so placed upon the summit of a prism as to produce the whimsical appearance of a nail, which from its rarity is sought after by mineral collectors with considerable avidity. Two specimens of rarity also in this collection are the Yellow, and Grey Sulphuret of Copper, in forms approaching that of Cube; the latter is pseudomorphous.