Victoria. Report from the Select Committee of the Legislative Council on Gold, together with the Proceedings of the Committee, Minutes of Evidence, and Appendix.

Broadsheet (12 2/8 x 8 inches). Printed on blue paper. Modern brown leatherette, gilt. An extensive report recommending the institution of a Mining Board that would be in charge of carrying out extensive geological surveys throughout Victoria to distinguish between auriferous and agricultural land. This survey would become the basis for an ordnance map of the county, and provide initial information to plan a railroad, reservoirs, etc: "America, which has credit for being the most economical Government in the civilised world, has expended very large sums of money in making topographical, geological, and natural history surveys on the most comprehensive scale, and which surveys are superior to those elaborated by any Government of Europe, and results of great practical value have in all places followed from such proceedings" (page iii-iv). The Committee also reports on the mining equipment and methods currently in use and decides that it is very unsatisfactory, and in need of organisation: "there are 100,000 miners either engaged in actual mining, or rushing about from place to place in search of new gold fields."(page v). A supplement to the report provided by mining expert, Jacob Braché (1827-1905) estimates the auriferous lands of the Colony to be 20,000 square miles, including 200 square miles of quartz reefs; that there are 20,650 millions of tons of quartz, which would take 100,000 miners 300 years to work up. Estimating its value as low as 1 pound per ton, it would give the enormous yield of 62 millions sterling per annum, allowing 10,000 companies of 10 men each to quarry and crush 24 tons per day. it gives the grand total of the estimated auriferous wealth of the Colony of Victoria of 26,783 millions sterling!" (page v). On the strength of his enthusiasm alone Brache was commissioned to conduct the report into the mining methods employed - a task he was signally unsuited for.…