INTRODUCTION.
	The Californian scheme, as it has been termed, originated with the well-,known mining capitalist, Geo. Lansell, Esq., of Sandhurst, shortly after his return from a tour through Europe and America. Whilst sojourning in the State of California, Mr. Lansell, who, it is needless to say, possesses a very extensive practical mining knowledge, observed many instances connected with mining and the treatment of auriferous ores, which were there very successfully worked, and which, if introduced here, would, in his opinion, result to the advantage of our miners on Bendigo or elsewhere. Having come to this conclusion, Mr. Lansell, on the 12th November 1876, commu­nicated with the committee of the Bendigo School of Mines in furtherance of that view," and at the same time very generously offered one-third (on certain conditions) of the total expense it would take to send a qualified dele­gate to America. The committee referred to took immediate steps to raise a sufficient amount by means of subscriptions from the citizens of the Sand­hurst district, and applications4 were requested in the newspapers from persons competent and willing to .proceed to the Pacific slopes. Out of nine­teen applicants—the necessary funds having meanwhile been subscribed— two were selected, and these two candidates were sent as a final test to the Clunes and Stawell mining districts for the purpose of examining and re­porting on the mines there, in the same way as the chosen delegate would have to do in California and Nevada. On the 12th February 1877, the author of this present synopsis of his report was appointed, and on the 5th March following he left Melbourne, en route for San Francisco, California. The delegate was furnished with a precis comprising the heads of subjects on which the investigations were to be made and reported upon after his return to Australia; besides, letters of introduction were procured for him from the Chief Secretary (Sir James McCulloch, K.C.M.G.), to their Excellen­cies the Governors of the States of California and of Nevada, in order to afford the delegate that standing and aid to which he, as the representative of the metropolitan quartz mining district in the colony, should be entitled. A similar communication was handed him for presentation to the (late)