GWINEAR — PAST  AND  PRESENT.

( Continued. )

[By Our Own Correspondent. ]

The mining operations of this parish, 40 years-ago, were confined    to    two    parallel   ridges   running   directly    through the parish in a westerly direction, —the one terminating in Nanspusker Bottoms ; the other at the south-western boundary near Fraddam. From the first-mentioned we have the disused setts of  Teeth^1, Trevaskis, Relistian, and Herland. The other operations were connected with the extensive tracts lying between Carnhell and Praze-an-deeble², —the Rosewarne run of mines,—Parbola, Wheal Unity, Carlose³, and Wheal Conqueror.  Several offshoots sprung up in contiguity of one or more: of those mineral deposits ; but they were short-lived and call for no particular mention, save that they gave an impetus to a certain class of adventurers open up those spots as tracing lines to determine to what an extent the great lodes-in this neighbourhood ran.

Gwinear at that time, took a foremost rank in mining operations and was looked up to as one of.the most thriving spots in Cornwall. A weekly market was held at the Church-town, and,  at the great pays of Herland and Relistian, had the appearance of a tolerably large fair.   No  less  than four public-houses were found in its midst.   Its feast, which continued for three days, was the rendezvous of all the famous wrestlers known ; even Lancashire sending down some of her champions to compete with the Gwinear men.

Perhaps the most famous of its mines at that time was the Herland,  or, as it is more generally known here, the Manor Mine. It covers a large tract of land directly behind the Church and Vicarage to the south.    In addition to  its rich deposits of copper, it had a certain amount of tin, but this latter mineral seems to have been neglected,  owing to the difficulty of working it or the carelessness of mine managers in not looking after this profitable part of their business.    Some competent authorities state that a great part of its older workings would pay to be re-stamped ; a few pickers some years ago did a pretty fair business in going over some of the more promising burrows.   Its depth is not nearly so. great as some of the mines that are now at work elsewhere.   Though it is hardly probable that it will be re-started  yet  there  are  those  who know the neighbourhood well who state that if it had a fair chance and were worked on the scientific principles that are recognised in the present day no better tin-mine would be found anywhere. A large amount of silver-ore was also taken from its workings. The Communion plate used in the parish Church is the production of this once famous mine.

Before referring  to the other mines of this parish,  it would be well to state that the rich deposits of Wheal Alfred Consols and Great Wheal Alfred,  with  the  present profitable working of Melanear4, belong to this one, and seemingly continuous, lode or lodes that takes their course through this part of the county. Mushroom speculations  were  not the object of the adventurer years ago.   The men of  that  day  were  first  sure  of  the locality they wished to work upon, and then, to develop its resources, they were  content  to  work and wait,  to  open,  sink,  drive,—in one word,  explore the depths,  and not to skim the surface as is the tactic of some of the adventurers of the present day, who, if a handsome dividend  is  not  declared  every  two or three months will  shut  the  mine,   condemning,  even  before  they have lost sight of daylight, a possibly prosperous concern.    Look at all the famous mines of the County,  take Dolcoath  for one single instance,—she has been on the eve of dissolution more than once, when  many quack doctors were waiting to lay her out,  yet her plucky adventurers, with her keen and far-sighted managers ( for she belongs to different generations) held on, knowing there were riches in store  that  the uninitiated in mining affairs  knew nothing of.    And  thus,  by  the same reasoning,   I might say that there is not  one of the mines  I  have  already  mentioned but, if they had only got into competent hands,  would have been paying concerns at the present day.

 (To Be Continued.)