cularly applied to those which yield metals. Where thefe fiffures have regular walls until they have very rare in Britain. The fiffures moft common in Britain are the perpendicular and inclined, whatever art their direction be. The perpendicular and horizontal fiffures, (Mr Price fays,) remain httle altered from their first position, when they were formed at the induration of the ftrata immediately after the waters left the land. The perpendicular filures are more commonly fituated in level ground, at a distance from hills, and from the fea flore; but with regard to the latter, the upper and under mailes of ftrata differ in their foudity and properties. "Hence, (fays Mr Price) it is plain, that inclined fiffures owe their deflection to fome fecondary cause, violence, or fubfidence, of the earth: for though perpendicular fiffures are seldom to be feen, yet fuch as are in clined at very confiderable depths, become more and more perpendicular, as the more central ftra42, by reafon of the vaft fuperincumbent weight, do not feem fo likely to be driven out of their puition as those which lie nearer the furface." The fures are often met with fractured as well as inclined; the reafon of which, Mr Price thinks, has been a fubfidence of the carth from fome extraordinary caufe. “The original pofition (fays be muft have been horizontal, or parallel to the furface of the earth: but we often find thefe firata very fenfibly declined from the first nofition; nay, fometimes quite reverfed, and changed iato perpendicular. When we fee a wall lean, we immediately conclude that the foundation has Een way, according to the angles which the wall makes with the horizon; and when we find the he declination in ftrata, we may conclude, by parity of reason, that there has been a like failure of what fupported them, in proportion to that declination; or that whatever made the ftrata to fall to much awry, must also cause every thing incuded in thofe ftrata to fall proportionably. Wherever the greateft fubfidence is to the N. the top of the lode or fitfure will point to the N. and of confequence underlie to the S. and vice versa: the flide or heave of the lode manifefts the greater 1fidence of the ftrata; but the fame lode is frequently fractured and heaved in feveral places: of which, by due obfervation, will how us Cey were occasioned by so many several fhocks or fubfidencies, and that the ftrata were not unfooted, fhaken, or brought to fall once only or taice, but feveral times." (3.) MINES, GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE METALLIC VEINS IN. Mr Price obferves, that though the metallic veins generally run from E. to W. they are frequently interfected by veins or indes of other matters, which run from N. to S. Some of these cross veins contain lead or antimoLy, but never tin or copper. Sometimes one of t.cf unmetallic veins interfects the true one at right angles, fometimes obliquely; and fometimes the mixture of both is fo intimate, that the moft expert miners are at a lofs to discover the feparated part of the true vein. When this laft is intercepted at right angles, it is moved, either N. or S. a very little way, perhaps not above a fathom; is which cafe, having worked to a fmall diftance in one of thefe directions, if they find themfelves difat pointed, they turn to the other hand, and feldom fad of meeting with what they expected. Some times they are directed in their fearch by the pointing of a rib or ftring of the true vein; but when the interruption happens in an oblique direction, the difficulty of finding the vein again is much greater. When two metallic veins near each other run in an oblique direction, acd meet together, they commonly produce a body of ore at the place where they interfect; and if both are rich, the quantity will be confiderable; but if one be poor and the other rich, then both are either enriched or impoverished by the meeting. After fome time they feparate again, and each will continue its former direction near to the other; but fometimes, though rarely, they continue united. It is a fign of a poor vein when it separates or diverges into ftrings, but when feveral of them are found running into one, it is accounted a promifing fign. Sometimes there are branches without the walls of the vein in the adjacent ftrata, which often come either obliquely or tranfverfely into it. If these branches are impregnated with ore, or if they underlie fafter than the true vein, that is, if they dip deeper into the ground, then they are faid to overtake or come into the lode, and to enrich it; or if they do not, then they are faid to go off from it, and to impoverish it. But neither thefe nor any other marks either of the richness or poverty of a mine are to be entirely depended upon: for many mines, which have a very bad appearance at first, turn out extremely well afterwards; while others, which in the beginning feemed very rich, turn gradually worse; but in general, where a vein has a very bad appearance at firft, it will be imprudent to be at much expence with it. Veins of metal are often fo compreffed betwixt hard ftrata, that they are not an inch wide; nevertheless, if they have a ftring of good ore, it will generally be worth while to pursue them; and they often turn out well at laft. It is an encouragement to go on, if the leaders of ore enlarge either in width or depth as they are worked; but it is a bad fign if they continue horizontal without inclining downwards; though it is not proper always to difcontinue the working of a vein which has an unfavourable afpect at firft. Veins of tin are worth working when only three inches wide, provided the ore be good; and copper ores when fix inches wide will pay very well for the working. Some of the great mines, however, have very large veins, wirh a number of other small ones very near each other. There are alfo veins crolling one another fometimes met with, which are called contras, vulgarly caunters. Sometimes two veins run down into the ground in fuch a manner that they meet in the direction of their depths; in which cafe, the fame obfervations apply to them which are applicable to thofe that meet in an horizontal direction. Sometimes a vein fuddenly disappears, by becoming narrower, or of worfe quality; which by the miners is called a fart or leap, and is common in the mines of Cornwall. In one day they may thus be disappointed in the working of a rich vein of tin, and have no further fign of any thing to work upon: at the fractured extremity of their vein they perceive a body of clay or other matter; and the method of recovering their vein is to drive on their work in the direction of the former part, λ 2 fo fo that their new work fhall make the fame angle Another and ftill more wonderful method of dif with the clay that the other part of the vein does. covering mines is faid to be by the virgula divinaSometimes they fink a shaft down from the fur- toria, or divining rod; which, however incredible face; but it is generally a matter of difficulty to the ftories related concerning it may be, is ftill re recover à vein when thus loft. lied on by fome, and among others by Mr Price, (4.) MINES, HISTORY OF THE EARLIEST DIS- It is not known who was the inventor of this meCOVERIES OF. The method of difcovering mines thod; but Agricola fuppofes that it took its rife is a matter of so much difficulty, that it feems from the magicians, who pretended to difcover furprising how thofe who were totally unacquaint- mines by enchantment. No mention is made of ed with the nature of metals first thought of digging it, however, before the 11th century, fince which them out of the earth. Lucretius fays the difcovery was made by the conflagration of woods, which melted the veins of metal in the earth be neath them; and Ariftotle tells us, that fome fhepherds in Spain having fet fire to the woods, the earth was thus heated to fuch a degree, that the filver near the furface of it melted and flowed into a mafs; and that in a short time the metallic mafs was difcovered by the rending of the earth in the time of an earthquake. The fame ftory is told by Strabo, who afcribes the difcovery of the mines of Andalufia to this accident. The difcovery of gold has been afcribed to Mercury, Cadmus, Thoas of Thrace, Pifeus K. of Italy, Cæacus, and other fabulous heroes; but fchylus attributes the difcovery of all the metals, to Prometheus. The brafs and copper mines in Cyprus were firft difcovered by Cinyras, the fon of Agriopas; and Hefiod afcribes the difcovery of the iron mines of Crete to the Cretan Dactyli Idai. The extraction of lead or tin from its ore in the inland of Caffiteris, according to feveral ancient authors, was difcovered by Midacritus. Mofes, however, aferibes the invention of brass and iron, or at least of the methods of working them, to Tubal-Cain before the flood. In later times, mines have been often discovered by accident; as in fea-cliffs, among broken craggy rocks, by the wafhing of the tides or floods, alfo by irruptions and torrents of water iffying out of hills and mountains, and fometimes by the wearing of high roads. (5.) MINES, METHODS OF DISCOVERING. Mr Price mentions, among other methods, by which mines have been difcovered, one by fiery corufcations, ignes fatui or falling ftars, and fays "The tinners generally fearch with uncommon eagerness the ground over which thefe jack-a-lanterns have appeared." But this mode of judging of mines has now loft all credit. Mines are now moft commonly discovered by inveftigating the nature of fuch veins, ores, and ftones, as feem most likely to turn to account; but there is a particular fagacity, or habit of judging from particular figns, which can be acquired only by long practice. Mines, especially thofe of copper, may alfo be difcovered by the harsh and disagreeable tafte of the waters which iffue from them; though this only happens when the ore lies above the level of the water; for it does not feem likely that the tafte of the ore could afcend, unless we were to fuppofe a pond or lake of water ftanding above it. The prefence of copper in any water is eafily difcovered by immerging in it a bit of polifhed iron, which will thus inftantly be turned of a copper colour, by the precipitation of the metal upon it. A candle, or piece of tallow put into water of this kind, will in a fhort time be tinged green. time it has been in frequent ufe; and the Corpul cular Philofophy has even been called in to ac count for it. It is faid to be performed in confequence of a certain unaccountable attra&tion, which the metals have for rods of nut or other fruit trees. But the account given by Price, which he had from a Mr Cookworthy of Plymouth, who is faid to have had the first information concerning this rod from one Captain Ribeira, a deferter from the Spanish fervice in Q. Anne's reign, and afterwards captain commandant in the garrifon of Plymouth, is fo very incredible, not to add, unin telligible and unphilofophical, that we think it unneceffary to quote it: and fhall therefore leave it to be inveftigated from Mr Price's work, by fuch of our readers, (if any íuch there be,) as have faith in the obfolete and occult sciences of Aftrology, Enchantment, and Magic-Another and very ancient mode of difcovering mines, but extremely difficult and precarious, is that called fhodeing; that is, tracing them by loofe ftones, fragments, or hodes, which may have been feparated and carried off to a confiderable distance from the vein, and are found by chance in running waters, on the furface of the ground, or a little under. "When the tinners (fays Mr Price) meet with a loose single stone of tin ore, either in a valley or in ploughing or hedging, though at 100 fathoms diftance from the vein it came from, thofe who are accustomed to this work will not fail to find it out.. They confider, that a metallic ftone muft originally have appertained to fome vein, from which it was fevered and caft at a dif tance by fome violent means. The deluge, they fuppofe, moved most of the loofe earthy coat of the globe, and in many places wafhed it off from the upper towards the lower grounds, with fuch a force, that most of the backs or lodes of veins which protruded themfelves above the faft were hurried downwards with the mafs: whence the skill in this part of their bufinefs lies much in directing their measures according to the fituation of the furface." Afterwards, however, our author complains, that this art of odeing, as he calls it, is in a great meafure loft. The following account of a method of finding filver mines by Alonzo Barba feems to be fimilar to that of fhoding: "The veins of metal (fays he) are fometimes found by great ftones above ground; and if the veins be covered, they hunt them out after this manner; viz. taking in their bands a fort of mattock, which has a steel point at one end to dig with, and a blunt head at the other wherewith to break ftones, they go to the hollows of the mountains, where the current of rain water defcends, or to fome other part of the fkirts of the mountains, and there obferve what ftones they meet with, breaking in pieces thofe that seem to have any are very mountainous; which gives an opportu nity to make adits or fubterraneous drains to fome valley at a distance by which to carry off the water from the mine, which otherwife would prevent them from getting the ore. Thefe adits are fometimes carried a mile or two, and dug at an expence of from 2000 l. to 4000 l. eipecially where the ground is rocky; and yet they find this cheaper than to draw up the water out of the mine quite to the top, when the water runs in plenty and the mine is deep. Sometimes, indeed, they cannot find a level near enough to which an adit may be carried from the very bottom of the mine; yet they find it worth while to make an adit at half the height to which the water is to be raised, thereby faving half the expence. The late Mr Coftar, confidering that fometimes from fmall ftreams, and fometimes from little springs or collections of rain-water, one might have a good deal of water above ground, though not a sufficient quantity to turn an overhot wheel, thought, that if a fufficient fall might be had, this collection of water might be made ufeful in raifing the water in a mine to the adit, where it may be carried of. Bar now the most general method of draining mines is by the fteam engine. See STEAM ENGINE. 2nr metal in them; whereof they find many times th middling fort of ftones and small ones alfo of metal. Then they confider the fituation of that pace, and whence thefe ftones can tumble, the of receffity must be from higher ground, and flow the tract of them up the hill along as then find any of them," &c. Another way (4) MrPrice) of discovering lodes is by working trols the country, as we call it, that is, PreXto S. and vice verfa. I tried the experiGet in an adventure ander my management, wet Idrove all open at grafs about two feet in bet, very much like a level to convey water wall wheel: by fo doing I was fure of cuttallodes in my way; and did engly sertive courfes, one of which has produced of tons of copper ore, but the ouers were tomught upon. This method of cifcoverda is equally cheap and certain; fr 100 asin fhilow ground may be driven at 50s. spence." In that kind of ground cailed by our feable, and which he explains by the We lesser-franding, he tells us, that "a very , proving, and confequental way is, by ring an adit from the lowest round, either N. whereby there is a certainty to cut all lodes , or 40 fathoms deep, the level admits 4 In driving adits or levels across, N. or S. Qirater mines already found, there are many freins discovered, which frequently prove bethan those they were driving to." A MISES, NECESSARY CONSIDERATIONS AFTHOISCOVERING. After the mine is found, the thing to be confidered is, whether it may be Na to advantage. To determine this, we are to weigh the nature of the place, and its fi, as to wood, water, carriage, healthinefs, like; and compare the refult with the of the ore, the charge of digging, famp, ng, and smelting. The form and fituCe of the foot fhould be well confidered. A e mut either happen, 1. In a mountain; 2. ;. In a valley; or, 4. In a flat. But as and hills are dug with much greater and convenience, chiefly because the drains urrows, that is, the adits or avenues, may be readily cut, both to drain the water and g-ways for bringing out the lead, &c. four cafes, we are to look out for the the rains or other accidental thing The laid bare; and if fuch a vein be found, en be proper to open the mine at that cially if the vein prove tolerably large c: otherwife the most commodious place frin is to be chofen for the purpose, viz. a fat, nor on the tops of mountains, Thes. The best fituation for a mine is tanous, woody, wholesome fpot; of a safe t, and near a navigable river. The places ading with mines are generally healthy, as ag ich, and every where expofed to the efone places where mines are found prove Cous, and can upon no account be dug, ever fo rich: the way of examining a fui et place of this kind, is to make experiments brutes, by expoting them to the effluvia, to their effects. Devonshire and Cornwall, there are many mines of copper and tin, (1.)* To MINE. v. n. [from the noun.] To dig mines or burrows; to form any hollows underground. The mining coneys shroud in rocky cells. Wotton. Of this various matter the terrestrial globe confifts from its furface to the greatest depth we ever dig or mine. Woodavard's Nut. History. * (2.) To MINE. v. a. To fap; to ruin by mines; to destroy by flow degrees, or fecret means.While rank corruption, mining all within, Infects unfeen. Shakefp. Hamlet. They mined the walls, laid the powder, and rammed the mouth; but the citizens made a countermine. Hayward. MINEGAHANE, a town of Ireland, in the county of Kerry, Munster. (1.)MINEHEAD, an ancient borough of Somerfetfhire, with a harbour in the Briftol channel, near Dunfter caftle, much frequented by paffengers to and from Ireland. It was incorporated by Q. Elizabeth, with great privileges, on condition of keeping the quay in repair; but its trade falling off, the quay was neglected, and the privileges were loft. A ftatute was obtained in the reign of William III. for recovering the port, and keeping it in repair; and the quay was rebuilt. In purfuance of another act, a new head was built to the quay, the beach cleared, &c. fo that the biggest fhip may enter, and ride fafe in the harbour. The town contains about 500 houses, and 2000 fouls. It was formerly governed by a portreve, and now by two conftables chofen annually at a court-leet, held by the lord of the manor. Its chief trade is with Ireland, whence about 40 veffels used to come hither in a year with wool; and about 4000 chaldrons of coals are yearly imported at this place, Watchet and Porlock, from South Wales; which lies directly oppofite to it, about 7 leagues over, the common breadth of this channel all the way from Holmes to the Land's End. Here are feveral MINELLIUS, John, an eminent Dutch grammarian, critic, and philologist, born at Rotterdam about 1625. He published editions of Virgil, O. vid, and feveral other Latin claffics, with notes. He died in 1683. MINEO, a town and lake of Sicily, in the valley of Noto. feveral rich merchants, who trade alfo to Virginia marks of an acid or alkali, nor of any volatile f and the Weft Indies; as well as to Barneftaple phureous, or metallic matters. Waters, whi and Bristol. Herrings, which come up the Severn contain calcareous earth, change the colour of in great fhoals about Michaelmas, are caught, rup of violets to a green; and thofe that cont cured, and 3, or 4,000 barrels annually fhipped felenites, being mixed with a folution of mercu off for the Mediterranean, &c. The market is on in nitrous acid, form a turbith mineral; and wh Wed. and fair on Whitfun-Wednesday. Mine- a fixed alkali is added, they are rendered turb head is 31 miles N. of Exeter, and 161 W. by S. and a white fediment is precipitated. Thefe w of London. Lon. 3. 34. W. Lat. 51. 12. N. ters do not diffolve foap well. Any water whi (2.) MINEHEAD, a cape of Ireland, on the SW. produces thefe effects is a hard, earthy, or file coaft of Waterford; 4 miles SW. of Helwick. tic water. The waters impregnated with ga (3.) MINEHEAD, a township of Vermont, in are alfo hard. Although the waters of the Effex county, on the Connecticut. and faline fprings be not generally enumerated mongst mineral waters, they might neverthe be justly confidered as fuch: for befides ear and felenitic matters, they alfo contain a la quantity of mineral falts. But mineral waters p perly fo called, are thofe in which gas, or fulpi reous, faline, or metallic fubftances, are dife ed by chemical trials. As many of these are e ployed fucceffively in medicine, they are alfo c ed medicinal waters. Mineral waters receive th peculiar principles by palling through earths c taining falts, or other mineral fubftances in a ft of decompofition. Some of thefe are valuable the quantity of useful falts which they cont particularly of common falt; (fee SALT;) and thers for their medicinal qualities. "All wat (fays Dr Thomfon, in his Syftem of Chem. Voi. p. 376.) which are diftinguished from comm water by a peculiar fmell, tafte, colour, &c. . which, in confequence of thefe propertica, c not be applied to the purposes of domestic eco my, have been called mineral waters. Thefe cur in different parts of the earth, conftitut wells, fprings, or fountains; fometimes of temperature of the foil through which they p fometimes warm, and in fome cafes even at boiling temperature." * MINER. n. f. [mineur, Fr. from mine.] 1. One that digs for metals. By me kings palaces are pufh'd to ground, And miners crufh'd beneath their mines are found. Dryden. 2. One who makes military mines.-As the bombardeer levels his mischief at cities, the miner bufies himself in ruining private houses. Tatler. MINERE. See MINERALOGY, Part I. (1.)* MINERAL. adj. Confifting of foffile bodies. By experience upon bodies in any mine, a man may conjecture at the metallick or mineral ingredients of any mass found there. Woodward. * (2.) MINERAL. n. f. [minerale, Latin.] Foffile body; matter dug out of mines. All metals are minerals, but all minerals are not metals. Minerals in the reftrained fenfe are bodies that may be melted but not malleated. She did confefs, fhe had For you a mortal mineral. Shak. Cymbeline. --The minerals of the kingdom, of lead, iron, copper, and tin, are of great value. Bacon to Vill. Part hidden veins digg'd up, nor hath this earth Entraiis unlike, of mineral and stone. Milton. ---Minerals; nitre with vitriol; common falt with allum; and fulphur with vitriol. Woodward. (3.) MINERAL, in natural hiftory, is ufed in general for all foffile bodies, whether fimple or compound, dug out of a MINE; whence the denomination. See MINE, N° III, § 1-6; and MINE RALOGY. (4.) MINERAL ACIDS. See ACIDS; and CHEMISTRY, Index, and Vocab. I. (5.) MINERAL ALKALI. See ALKALI, § 2-4, and CHEMISTRY, Index, and Vocab. I. (8.) MINERAL WATERS, ATTEMPTS MADE ANALYSE. "Mineral fprings, (continues the attracted the attention of mankind in the ear ages, and were reforted to by those who labor under difeafes, and employed as a medicine. it was not till towards the end of the 17th tury, that any attempt was made to detect th gredients of which these waters were compe or to difcover the fubftances to which they o their properties. Mr BOYLE may be confid as the first who pointed out the method of mining water. He firft afcertained the exift of air in it, and pointed out a number of teflwhich conjectures might be made concerning faline bodies which the water held in folution. 1665, Dominic Du Clos attempted to examin mineral waters in France. He employed almo (6.) MINERAL PITCH. See CHEMITRY, Index. the re-agents recommended by Boyle, and a (7.) MINERAL SPRINGS, or All waters natu- feveral of his own. In 1680, Hierne publith ¿ (7.) MINERAL WATERS. rally impregnated fet of experiments on the mineral waters of with any heterogeneous matter which they have den. Soon after various improvements wer diffolved within the earth may be called mineral waters, in the most extenfive meaning of that name; which might therefore comprehend almoft a thofe that flow within or upon the earth, for al noft all thefe contain fome earth or felenites. Lu: waters containing only earth or felenites are rot generally called mineral, but hard or crude swaters. Thefe, when chemically analysed, show no troduced by Regis, Didier, Burlet, and Homb and in 1726, Boulduc pointed out a method of cipitating feveral of the faline contents of by alcohol. But it was not till after the difco of carbonic acid by Dr Black, that any cont able progrefs was made in afcertaining the pofition of mineral waters. That fubtile which is fo often contained, and which ferve |