Of the receipts for 1903 nearly
one-half (£44,950) were profits. The falling off in the previous year
was due to disastrous floods, against the recurrence of which extensive
engineering precautions have been undertaken. Rubies of large size are
very rare and enormously valuable. Three remarkable stones were
obtained in 1809, one of which was the finest ever found since the
opening of the mines to European development. This ruby weighed 77
carats and was sold for 4 lakhs of rupees, or £20,000.
EMERALD.
COLOMBIA.
The
Colombian Government has recently employed a well-known expert. Mr.
Lloyd-Owen, to make an examination of the condition and prospects of
the great emerald mine at Muzo, northwest of Bogota. He has prepared an
extended report, of which a copy was furnished to United States
Minister Russell, at Bogota, for the Department of State, and an
abstract was given in the United States Consular Reports for August 3, 1905.a
Mr.
Lloyd-Owen states that the emerald-bearing area at and near Muzo is
very extensive and has never been thoroughly tested or even explored.
It probably covers many square leagues, the Government holdings alone
being estimated at nearly 100,000 acres.
NEW SOUTH WALES.
In the recently issued guidebook published by the Colonial Government of New South Walesc
reference is made to the emerald locality near Emmaville, which has
been occasionally reported. The region is rich in minerals, and the
Emmaville and Deepwater divisions are centers of mining for tin,
chiefly as stream ore, but also in the " greisen," in which wolfram and
seheelite are likewise found. The location of Emmaville is about 100
miles from the coast, some 450 miles north of Sydney. Inverell, noted
in connection with the Xew South Wales diamonds, lies to the southwest,
less than 40 miles distant. The emerald
