Report – Thomas Dodd – 31 Oct 1808

Hon. Masters						Nenthead 32 Oct. 1808



	After a general Survey of the Co’s. Mines under my management, I let on the 10, 11 & 12 last the Sundry Bargains of which a list is annexed. The highest prices for the Old pickings stand the same as last quarter, but the best and most prosperous parts of the Mines are let at low prices and will assuredly work to great advantage. Since the advance in the Lead Markets many of the Mining Companies in this Country have advanced the prices for raising Ore in their Old Works to 70/ and some to 80/ per Bing which makes our Way with the Workmen very difficult.

	Rampgill & Scaleburnmoss Mines are both doing well. The deep Level, by way of which the Ore and Rubbish is brot. out, is of such Utility, that it will prove the grand Mean of these Mines working successfully for a great Number of Years. At Rampgill Wm. Hall & co are driving the Horse Level, which is the Level above referred to. Jno. Richardson & co are driving another Horse Level in a difficult part of the Mine, where Ore will be raised in the Vein in the Great Limestone. John Patrick & co are driving a Cross to the South of the Great Vein, for the discovery of Fresh Strings. At Scaleburnmoss Wm. Patrick & co are repairing one of the Branches of the Horse Level. John Eels & co are driving the Horse Level which prepares the Vein for raising Ore. These two Mines having little dead work upon them at present, will make a very considerable Gain, being upon a very advantageous plan for working and the Mouth of the Level commodiously situated for washing the Ore. Small Cleugh Flatts are doing great things, by raising a great deal of Ore, by the Bargains which stand in the Front of the List under the term Small Cleugh. The Court will understand that when I say Flatt or Flatts, I mean that the Ore is met with in the Great Limestone (and never in any other Stratum) in a horizontal position, similar to a Seam of Coal. They are sometimes found 50 Fathoms from a Vein, which is the case at Small Cleugh, but are always attended with Small Strings or Veins in Miniature. The Flatts are prodigiously hard, and are work’d entirely by blasting with Gunpowder, but we think the Hardness a good property, for when they are soft, and in broken Fragments, they are soon exhausted. Messrs. Pearson & Masterman were in this Mine and can give the Court an account.

	The great Limestone contains three different Flatts, which will be pointed out in a Section of the Stratum in this Country, which my young man is preparing for the Court and which if framed might be hung up in the Court Room in Order that the Gentlemen might have recourse to it when necessary. John Thompson & co are driving a Sump into the Level which carries the Water to the Engine, both to drain the Limestone Soles or bottoms, and to cause a fresh Circulation of Air, Jacob Stobbart & co are driving the Engine Level, Matt. Cousin & co are driving the Horse Level.

	Middle Cleugh being less incumber’d with dead work, than formerly will raise Ore to advantage, tho’ more exhausted, and less productive than any of the above mentioned Mines. Jos. Henderson & co are driving one of the Horse Levels in the Great Limestone, which opens up the way to the Ore. Thomas Lee & co are driving a Level under the Limestone as a Drain to the Mine. Chr. Elliott & co are driving another of the Horse Levels.

	Hangingshaw & Caple Cleugh are poor, but raise Ore which will keep them from loss and the Ore is of as good a Quality as Small Cleugh Flatts Ore, which is excellent, & excellently washed. Robt. Dickinson & co are driving the Horse Level in Hangingshaw Cross Vein, and Jos. Thompson & co and Thomas Percival & co are driving a level at Caple Cleugh to keep the Mine In repair, and to raise Small parcels of Ore.

	Garrigill Mines and Tynebottom are still poor but contain objects which would make it imprudent to relinquish any of the Leases. These Mines are conducted with all the Frugality I am capable of.

	At Browngill Sun Vein Jos. Lancaster & co are driving a Level in the Vein, in the Great Limestone, a large Extent of which is whole and unexplored, and as I expect the Intersection of some Strings shortly, I hope when it takes place, we will have a better Body of Ore. John Smith & co are driving the deep Horse Level, & Wm. Tomlinson & co are repairing an old one.

	At Tynebottom Ra. Heath & co are driving in the Vein, in search of more Ore. Isaac Teasdale & co are driving the Horse Level & Jacob Grey & co are driving a Level in a different part of the Vein, to prepare the same for Trial.

	Middlehope Mine goes on prosperously, is on a most excellent plan for working, and raises Ore to great advantage. The Crushing Machine is finished, and will be of great Use to the Mine, on calculating the prices of the Bargains now before the Crush, I reduced all the principal Ones 3/- per Bing, on acct. of the benefit of the Machine, and besides it may be fairly considered that the Machine will make 1/7 more Ore, than the common Mode of washing, in the poorest and most Stubborn part of the Ore; and therefore don’t hesitate to say that the Crushing Machines are amongst the Improvements recently made in Lead Mining. Geo. Hill & co are cutting across to a fine String to the North of the Vein.

	Lodgesyke (Teesdale) is raising Ore vastly well, and will I trust do much Good. Thomas Robson & co are driving one Horse Level in the side of a Mountain. John Pinkney & co are driving another one 20 Fa. deeper, both calculated to open and prove the Vein in the different Sills.

	Wiregill & Mannergill are poor, but raise small parcels of Ore. Geo. Allison & co are repairing a Level at Wiregill, and will shortly sink into the deep Horse Level for the production of Fresh Air. Jos. Scholick & co are driving the Horse Level; and John Nixon & co are driving a Level to drain the Soles, when a good deal of Ore will be got. Chr. Pinkney & co are driving a Horse Level, and when finished will try the Vein in a fresh part, and will prove the mean of raising Ore.

	John Watson & co are driving the Level at Flakebrigg held of Wm. Hutchinson Esq and is yet near 80 Fa. Short of the Vein. A crushing and Stamping Machine is now erected there, and will get some Ore out of the Wastes in the mean time.

	Stanhope Mine is poor, and very little alter’d since my last report, of course the prices for raising Ore from the Pickings are the same. Thos. Wilkinson & co are driving the deep Level which makes a Slow Progress, being only 4 Men and the Level hard. Jos. Vipond & co are driving a Level under the Great Limestone, and will shortly relieve the Vein of Water, and raise Ore. For my opinion of Bolts Law Mine please see my Letter to the Court of the 25 Inst.

	At Broomsberry Hugh Spotswood & co are driving the Horse Level, which will in future prove of great Utility both to this, and Rampgill and Scaleburnmoss Mines. Thos. Walton & co  are driving an Upper Level where Ore will shortly be got.

      I am etc.

      Thomas Dodd