AN ABSTRACT OF THE Present State of the MINES Of Bwlchyr-Eskir-Hyr; And of the Material Proceed of the Committee, appointed for the Management thereof.  
Published for the Information and Satisfaction of the absent-Partners, and at their Request.  
By Order of the Committee.  
To the Absent Partners.  
Gent '  
THE Representation made by several Absent Partners living in the Country, of the Inconveniencies that have happened for want of some public Information of the State of the Mines, together with their Request, that for the Satisfaction of all the Partners, an Account thereof be Printed, with the Opinion of the Committee concerning the same, hath been taken into Consideration by the said Committee; and tho' it was presumed that all the Partners in these Mines, would either by themselves or friends have taken an Account thereof at the Office in Lincolns-Inn, from the Original Letters and Entries, which they thought would have been most proper and satisfactory, and which they may have access to, when they please. Yet to show their respect to you who have reposed so great a Trust in them, and how careful they have been and still are of your interest and safety, they have ordered the following Abstract to be made from the Originals, and (being perused and allowed by them) to be Printed and sent to you, By, Gentlemen,  
Jan. 31st. 1699/700. Your most Humble Servant, Francis Pigott, Sec '  
Is't, IT was referred to Sir Humphrey Mackworth, and William Player, of Grays-Inn, Esq (and to such other of the Committee as would then be present) to view the Mines, and make a Report of the present State thereof, and of all matters relating thereto.  
IIdly, In pursuance thereof the following Letter was sent by them to the Committee, viz.  
Gent ' June 20th, 1699.  
On Wednesday the Seventh of this Instant June, Mr. Lydall, Mr. Leicester, and Mr. Tucker, (a Person Experienced in Mineral Works) came with us into Cardiganshire, and having several times viewed the Mines, and Examined the Workmen, we cannot find but Mr. Waller has given us a very fair and just Account of the Mines.  
We have been every Day on Horseback viewing some place or other ever since we met, and therefore must desire more time to make a particular Report, but we have both taken Minutes of the Matter of Fact, and set our Hands to them; and as soon as conveniently we can, our Report shall be sent you at Large, By, Gent '  
Your most Humble Servants, 

H. Mackworth,  
Will. Player.    
Gent '  
We have perused the abovewritten Letter, and several times viewed the Mines of Bwlchyr-Eskir-Hyr, and late of Sir Carbery Pryse, and Examined the Workmen, and do entirely concur in Opinion with Sir Humphrey Mackworth and Mr. Player, and that the said Mines will turn to a very great Account.  


Francis Leicester,  
Robert Lydall,  
Jonathan Tucker.    
Note, Those Gentlemen are all well skilled in the Art of Mining, and particularly Mr. Tucker, who is Manager of Mr. Player's Mineral Works near Bristol.  
IIIdly, The Report at Large from Sir Humphrey Mackworth and Mr. Player, was sent up to the Committee the Third day of July last, which being too long to be inserted, the Adventurers are referred to the Original in the Office, but (amongst other things) it is therein set forth:  
1. That upon Examination of several Persons that actually wrought in the Shafts formerly sunk in the said Mines, it appeared that the several Veins proved quick, and were left in such manner as hath formerly been Represented by Mr. Waller, to the Mine-Adventurers: And though they could not have a view in the deep Shafts, having much Water in them; yet the Water being drawn out in the Shallow Cross-cuts and Shafts, 
Note, The great Vein was but one Foot thick in Oar at the Surface.  on purpose to give them a view of the Veins, they saw Oar raised in four several Veins at the day, near the Surface of the Ground, which Oar lay in Ribs, the least of which was Nine Inches broad, and some of a Foot broad, or thereabouts.  
2. That they believe Mr. Waller's Map and State of the Mines then sent up, was very exact, the Veins, Adits and Levels being measured in the presence of the said Mr. Tucker, and that the works were then carried on in several cross Drifts Night and Day.  
3. They give an Account of the Buildings at Tallybout, and on the Mountain, and of the Stores, and what Instructions they had left with Mr. Simon Pryse, for the Method of his Accounts, for carriage of the Oar raised to the Waterside, and to Mr. Waller for Expediting the Levels, Cross-drifts and Shafts; for the Speedy raising of Oar; which was approved and Confirmed.  
4. They deliver their Opinion by the Advice of the said Artists, that for the speedy Smelting and Refining the Oar raised; and so making a quick Return of Profit, Neath, in Glamorganshire seemed at present the most proper Place; where there was a large Smelting-house, One hundred thirty five Foot in length, and Thirty Two Foot in breadth, and all Buildings, Stacks, Furnaces, with a large Water-wheel, Sturbridge Day, Coal, and all other Materials in readiness, which could not be provided in Cardiganshire in a long time; and that Sir Humphrey Mackworth was then making a Key at Neath-Bank, for the more convenient Loading and Unloading of Vessels, where Coal is at no time wanting, if Sir Humphrey Mackworth's Coals should fail.  
5. That about the latter end of September and beginning of October, they had Visited the Mines a Second time, and found (amongst other things) that in the Level Vein there appeared some strings of Oar; That in one of the Cross-drifts, in the East-Level, not above Eight yards deep, towards the great Vein, they crossed a Vein which had some Lead Oar mixed with Vein-Stone, and also a settled Vein, which by the greenish Colour of it seemed to be the Copper-Vein, which they judged to be of no great Value in that place so near the Surface, but that it had a very promising Aspect, when it took more Ground upon it.  
That about Fourteen Yards South of the Bog vein, there was a new Cross-cut made, wherein there was Oar raised in Two distinct places, but whether these would prove profitable Veins was yet uncertain; That in order to Land Oar as soon as may be, Mr. Waller was carrying on a Shallow Level to the Bog-Vein.  
6. That Houses for Workmen were Erected to contain near a Hundred Men, and that the Country People brought Provisions to the Mountain every Saturday, to the great advantage of the Neighbours and Miners.  
7. That since June last, Sir Humphrey Mackworth had at the North-end of the Smelting-House , Erected another pile of Building Sixty Foot in length, and Twenty Eight Foot in breadth; and Stacks or Chimneys for Six or Seven Refining Furnaces; and was, below that, Erecting a Red-Lead Mill with Storehouses convenient to them.  
8. That Sir Humphrey Mackworth had also since that time made a Cut or Canal from Neath-River, of about Eighteen or Twenty Foot wide, and about Three Hundred Yards in length, in which Trows and small Vessels with Thirty Tun might come up within Four Hundred Yards of the Smelting and Refining Houses; and that a strong Crane was also Erected, and the Partners Goods unloaded there, and that this Cut may be carried one or two Hundred Yards nearer, which will much shorten Land-Carriage, the said Works being near a Mile from Neath-Key.  
Note, that Mr. Richard Curtis, who is a considerable Partner, and who went down to the Mines for his own Satisfaction, and viewed and measured the Works under Ground, and the Buildings in Glamorganshire, gives a very good Character thereof, and exactly agrees with the Account , which is also confirmed by the Accountant to the Company, who spent some time below in Cardiganshire and at Neath, in taking an Exact Particular thereof.  
IVthly, Sir Humphrey Mackworth hath Erected all those large Buildings and Conveniencies at his own proper Charge, without receiving one Penny from the Public Stock on that Account: And at the Request of the Committee, hath let the Company have the Use and Benefit of them; they giving to the said Sir Humphrey Mackworth (after full Trial had thereof) such consideration for the use of the same as they shall think fit: And upon this Occasion the Committee think themselves obliged to declare, That the said Sir Humphrey Mackworth hath upon this and all other Occasions; dealt very justly and honourably by all the Partners concerned.  
Vthly, Mr. Lydall, Chief Operator to the Company, having viewed all places convenient for Erecting Smelting-Houses, both in Cardiganshire near to Oar, and in Glamorganshire near to Coal, (where the Smelting-Houses are appointed to be built by the Settlement of the Mine-Adventure, to the intent that the same vessels may carry Coal to Oar, and Oar to Coal) after mature Deliberation had thereupon, hath given a particular Account of the conveniencies and inconveniencies of each place, whereby it appears, that till greater quantities of Oar are raised, Carriage grown difficult, and more, Housing is wanting, that Neath is the cheapest place of Smelting and Refining all the Oar, whereby the Duty on Coal is saved, and also the charge of keeping another set of Stewards, Smelters and Refiners in Cardiganshire: and in the mean while they have more time to Deliberate in the Choice of, and to Contract for, the most proper place for Building in that County.  
VIthly, As to the Profit of this Undertaking, many Experiments have been made in large Quantities; of the Richness of the several sorts of Oar in these Veins, and it thereby appears, That every Tun of Oar (one with another) yields at this time, over and above all manner of charges, a clear profit of five pounds per Tun and upwards.  
VIIly, The Principal Stock is not really lessened in all this time above Two thousand three hundred Pounds Twelve Shillings and Four pence; the use of Sir Humphrey Mackworth's Smelting and Refining Furnaces, having for the present saved the Company a great Expense that way.  
VIIIthly, As to the keeping the Accounts they are in exact Form and Method of Merchant's Accounts.  
IXthly, The Committee have, by several Letters from the Officers, received an Account,  
First, That a Pitt or Shaft was begun on a Vein, five yard's South of the great Vein, where the Miners met with a Spark of Oar (as they Term it) near a Tun weight, which (they say) shown the Pride of the Vein, being within two Yards of the Surface of the Ground. That some time after they Sunk to the Oar, for the raising of which Mr. Waller did set a Bargain to the Miners, at 7 s. 6 d. per Tun; but before they could raise any Quantity, being so near the Shafts in the great Vein, the Water from them broke in upon the Workmen, and watered them out.  
Note, Sir Thomas Mackworth (who also confirms the Report above set forth) went down in this Shaft, and (he says) that he saw the Oar therein above Two Foot wide, and not above Five or Six Yards deep from the Surface.  
Secondly, That in one of the Cross-drifts, the Workmen met with Strings of rich Copper Oar, that crossed the firm sides, which gave hopes (that the Copper-Vein, (which is near two Yards wide) would prove quick and gathered to a rich Body of Oar in that Drift, when once it came up to the Vein.  
Thirdly, That in Curtis-Drift the Miners had cut into the Bog-Vein, which is Four Foot wide betwixt the firm Sides; And that Mr. Waller had set on several Sets of Workmen to sink Shafts upon that Drift.  
Fourthly, That he had Finished those Shafts, and was raising Oar there; and that the Oar in the said Vein did set well, and widen downwards, as it took more Ground upon it.  
Fifthly, He still expresses his great Opinion of the Mines, and complains of their being too quick upon him for raising Oar, since in his Essay on the value of the Mines, he did insist upon a Years time to set the Works in Order, which will not be ended till the latter end of May next; and since the Rocks have proved much harder than he expected; but yet by the time proposed he doubts not but to be raising of Oar in the great Vein; and in the mean time hopes he shall please them in raising Oar in the Bog-vein above mentioned, as soon as he can set that place in order, and make room for a number of Men to be employed there.  
Sixthly, They continue the Smelting and refining at Neath with great care and diligence, and for the time have made there a considerable quantity of Silver, Led, and Lytharge.  
Upon the whole Matter, as the Committee cannot pretend to any absolute certainty in matters of this Nature, so they have no reason to have a different Opinion of the Mines from what they had at first; but on the contrary do believe and hope that they are all engaged in a very Profitable Undertaking.  
And as the best Demonstration of the Sincerity of this their Opinion, they think fit also to declare, That neither his Grace the Duke of Leeds, Sir Tho. Mackworth, Sir H. Mackworth, Mr. Waller, nor any one of the Committee, have sold out any part of their Principal Money Adventured, or Shares arising from the same; but on the contrary many of them have lately Purchased a considerable Number of Blanks and Shares, which in the whole (amongst them all) amounts to the Value of 8755 l. in Blanck-Tickets, and also 242 Shares.  
By Order of the Committee. Francis Pigot, Sec '