of the section AB (fig. 2, plate xx.). A bore-hole was recently put down at Schaapplaats (fig. 1, plate xx.), about 25 miles southwest from the New Rand: the section of this bore-hole has been published as follows:

This result confirms the view held by the writer that a syncline occurs in this neighbourhood, as shown on the plan.*

Mr. H. W. STRUBEN (London) wrote that he had read Mr. Sawyer's paper with great interest, together with the plans and sections showing the work that Mr. Sawyer had done during the last four years on a section of country hitherto undeveloped and which he sincerely hoped, in the interests of South Africa, would prove a second Witwatersrand. It seemed an age since, in June, 1885, he (Mr. Struben) made known to his Honour, the late President Kruger, his Executive Council, and the assembled Volksraad, the discovery of 42 miles of gold-bearing conglomerate-beds along the watershed of the Witwatersrand, where his brother, himself and their employees had worked on the wild, open veldt, living in waggons and tents, where now thousands of houses, batteries, plantations, etc., cover the entire area, worldwide known as "The Rand." He was told by friends that he was a visionary, and would ruin himself. All the work was done at his own cost and risk, as not being an expert he would not take the responsibility of investing other people's money in an unproven venture. He would not dwell now on the discovery of the Rand, the absence of any reliable data, the anxious times, the successes and failures of the earlier days of the Rand; but he would draw attention to the fact that Mr. Sawyer, with his knowledge of geology and mineralogy, and the now known conditions in the mines at a depth on the central Main Reef series, had definite information, of which he (Mr. Struben), in 1885-1886, had no conception, and he trusted that Mr. Sawyer's industry and perseverance would meet with as great a measure of

* Trans. Inst. M. E., 1904, vol. xxvii., page 554, plate xxv., fig. 1.

success as crowned his own efforts on the northern edge of this extensive gold-bearing area. He and his brother, Mr. F. Struben, had to trace the pebble-reefs by outcrops and probe intermediate buried sections by sinking shafts; while Mr. Sawyer could work upon more or less ascertained lines, and form correct deductions based on practical experience. If the results of further development proved as satisfactory as the data submitted would lead one to hope, this discovery of a section of gold-bearing country, 50 miles south of the northern outcrop, and corresponding in formation to the Main Reef series, would give fresh impetus to the mining industries of the Transvaal and Orangia. In 1885, the existence of the most continuous and permanent gold-mining area in the world was unknown, but energy, capital and foresight had combined to produce gold worth many millions. He was confident that the potential wealth of these South African uplands was not yet realized, systematic prospecting should still be continued, for so far the country had merely been scratched, and only a commencement had been made in the development of its vast mineral resources. On June 6th, 1885, he (Mr. Struben) sent for the first stamp-battery as a testing-mill; and now thousands of stamps thunder day and night along miles of what was then bare veldt worth a few shillings per acre. On December 20th, 1885, the first conglomerates were crushed, and since then gold valued at millions of pounds sterling had been obtained from the tilted pebble-beds. There was evidence that these conglomerates, auriferous in greater or less degree in various sections as they traversed the country from west to east, were practically continuous for hundreds of miles, confirming the opinion held by him in 1885-1886 that they were formed on the coast-line of Southern Africa, many geological ages ago; and Mr. Sawyer's recent discovery, at the junction of the Wilge and Vaal rivers in the Orange River Colony, fully established that theory. These conglomerate gold-fields were continuous, and with the exception of certain sections along the line of reefs were not rich, when compared with the gold found in erratic quartz-reefs in other countries; consequently the strictest economy was necessary if they were to be worked to profit.

Over fifty years' experience in Natal and in the Transvaal, in official and private capacities, and in conducting industrial operations, had convinced him that native African races (Zulu, Basuto,

Bechuana, etc.) were incapable of continuous labour, especially arduous labour such as mining; and it was obvious that no considerable industry.could be carried on successfully without continuity of labour.

The mining industry required greater facilities for the conveyance of unskilled labour from a distance to the mines, as natives only worked for a short time and must frequently be replaced. It should be remembered also that the increasing agricultural development of the country demanded a considerable share of the available labour-supply, and that about six men per annum were required to perform one man's work, as the average time that a native cared to work continuously on a farm was about two months. The future prosperity of South Africa would largely depend upon the discovery of some method that would induce natives, who were rapidly increasing in numbers, to work more continuously than they did at present. He feared that he had taken up much time in dealing with the native labour question, but the mining industry depended upon its satisfactory solution.

Mr. Sawyer, by his practical and exhaustive research, appeared to have discovered an extensive gold-area; its development would largely benefit the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal, and he cordially wished his enterprise every success. This and similar undertakings depended (1) on capital, and this could only be secured where confidence was established; and (2) on labour, continuous and at a reasonable cost. All else was at hand, in a perfect climate, that made mining a pleasanter occupation than in most other parts of the world. Personally, he had for many years taken no active part in mining matters; but he was confident that the time was near at hand when the real value of temperate South Africa as an important and highly mineralized country would be recognized, if not by people in Great Britain, then by others.

Mr. G. A. DENNY (London) wrote that he had very grave doubts whether capital for the deep-level areas of the Witwatersrand would ever be raised; and, if it should be raised, whether there would be any commercial profit arising out of it, unless the capital-amount required for exploitation could be materially reduced; and, therefore, it might be inferred that his views regard

ing the practicability of working an area situated 50 miles to the south of the Witwatersrand were not favourable.

66

Mr. SAWYER wrote, in reply to Mr. Denny, that as the Witwatersrand beds in the New Rand Gold-field dipped at an angle of 30 degrees it was obvious that the sub-outcrops of any auriferous banket" interbedded among them would occur there at a vertical depth from the surface of from 670 feet to 700 feet, whatever the depth might be at which it might be intersected in any of the bore-holes. He could not, therefore, see that Mr. Denny's remarks were applicable to sub-outcrop propositions on the New Rand Gold-field. He failed to see what connection there was between the difficult deep-level propositions on the Witwatersrand, with their working depths of from 2,000 feet to over 4,000 feet, and possible sub-outcrop propositions in the New Rand of from only 700 feet to, say, 1,500 feet.

The PRESIDENT (Mr. M. Deacon) moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Sawyer for his interesting paper.

Mr. W. G. PHILLIPS seconded the resolution, which was cordially approved.

Mr. D. M. CHAMBERS' paper on "The Ozokerite (Mineral-wax) Mine of the Galizische Kreditbank, at Boryslaw, Galicia, Austria," was read as follows:

THE OZOKERITE (MINERAL-WAX) MINE OF THE GALIZISCHE KREDITBANK, AT BORYSLAW, GALICIA, AUSTRIA.

BY D. M. CHAMBERS.

Introduction.-Galicia, a Crownland of the Austro-Hungarian empire, is notably rich in supplies of liquid hydro-carbon. Some idea of the magnitude of the Galician petroleum-industry may be obtained from the fact that the crude-oil production for the year 1903 from Galicia alone was about 50 per cent. in excess of the quantity necessary to supply the whole illuminating-oil requirements for the Austro-Hungarian empire.

Closely allied to this industry, but much less well known, is the business of wax-mining. The product won, known as ozokerite, when purified, is largely employed in the manufacture of candles, and mixed with rubber, for insulating purposes, Great Britain being, perhaps, the best market for Galician ozokerite. Wax-deposits are fairly often met with throughout the country, but those of Boryslaw, Dzwiniacz, Starunia and Truskawiec are the best known; and although all are worked to a greater or less extent, the deposits of Boryslaw, a village about 75 miles south-west of Lemberg, the capital of the province, are by far the most important. The existence of ozokerite at Boryslaw has been known for very many years; in fact, the workings date back to the year 1831. Nevertheless, the systematic exploitation of the mines only commenced after 1880, and by far the best-equipped mine at the present day is that belonging to the Galizische Kreditbank. This company acquired the workings of various small owners, consisting of about seventy to eighty separate shafts, sunk to depths of up to 200 feet and more in certain cases.

The early history of the company was unfortunate, owing chiefly to the fact that the work was carried on without any due regard to the rudiments of mining technology, and it was only at