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The following article is extracted from the Brisbane Courier, 22nd December 1868, and was reprinted by that publication from the Braidwood Dispatch:
“MR. HENRY MANNING, of Nelligen, writes to the editor of the Braidwood Dispatch : - ‘I send you copy of of my “Gold Finder,” for which letters of registration have been granted me. The apparatus consists of three or more casings to be used in prospecting for minerals in wet claims which are of sufficient measurements to admit the easy operations of a miner within their sides, and may be any shape, from a perfect round to a square, and about 5 feet deep each, the second being so much smaller than the first that it passes close to but easily through the first until its upper flange rests by the gradual digging operations on the bottom flange of the first casing, the third performing the same part towards the second, and fourth towards the third, till the bottom is reached, when the gold or mineral is sought for. In all wet claims which it has hitherto been impossible to prospect, the use of this telescopic apparatus will be efficient as both water and drift sand from lateral entrance is resisted, and the prospector can securely reach the bottom without fear of falling sides or loss of labour, and a speedy and cheap means afforded for ascertaining the value of supposed auriferous lands. All which circumstances place the use of the telescopic “Gold Finder” in advance of existing plans common to this and other gold countries. two years ago there was a laudable but unsuccessful effort made in your district to form a prospecting company, but which failed from the well-known expense of opening, to say nothing of finding any claim worthy of a company’s consideration. I think had my plan been before the public then something might have resulted to the great benefit of the district, and yet may, if a discerning public (not biased as the inventor naturally is) can see a value in this invention. I am unable, as agent for the I.S.N. Co. [Illawarra Steam Navigation Company], to attend to the practical working of the Gold Finder beyond what I have tried with it here. I have only three cylinders as yet, of oval shape in wrought iron, and five feet deep, each cylinder weighing about 2 cwt. The plan of working these cylinders is palpably simple. When they will not descend of their own weight, I find the weight of the miner, standing on inside bottom flange and tapping upper rim effective. The pump has to be suspended on a rope that admits of its being drawn up as additional lengths have to be added or lowered as the depth increases. This is easily effected by using a block and tackle fixed to one leg of windlass or a light set of shear legs. In working some claims I would only sink once with cylinders, and draw all the water to this one shaft. Three men are sufficient for the work. I have proved in four trials the ease and certainty of withdrawing cylinders, so that no risk is incurred of losing them. For through efficiency five cylinders would be requisite, the top one being double the length of others, so as to commence from the surface with iron casing. In each of my trials, so as to make the most of the three cylinders, I have in ordinary method slabbed the first ten feet and commenced from that with iron casing. I have also (in one shaft not reaching bottom with cylinders), wet stratum being passed, put in slab framing below the cylinders with perfect success, though all slabbing is necessarily very troublesome and expensive, as the same sinking within cylinders would be accomplished in less than one quarter of the time.”
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