printer's error, and that his effusion will be productive of just about as
much good as its cause, namely naught.  The printer has simply put one
cypher too many in giving the length of my claim.  The area for which I
applied, and which the Land's Department approved of, is 25 acres, and I
do not think the local Warden would have recommended, nor the Hon J.
Forrest approved of, a lease for that area, were they not thoroughly
satisfied that the prescribed regulations were being fulfilled.

I think my bona fides have been thoroughly proved by the work I have done,
and I would in the interests of your colony's advancement caution you
against giving publicity to any such letter as that from "A Miner."
Capital is what is wanted to develop as fine a mineral country as I have
yet seen, and I may say without conceit, my experience is a pretty
expensive one, embracing as it does an inspection of pretty well all the
yet discovered gold bearing country between the Gulf of Carpentaria to
Mallina, and travelling all round.

Your correspondent puts me very much in mind of the little boy who cut
open the drum to see where the sound came from, and I am of opinion he
should be included amongst a cast of individuals that should be carefully
guarded against.  I trust for the sake of the colony's advancement there
are not many of his kind.

I shall continue to do my best to promote legitimate mining, and shall
look for that consideration from your Government that legitimate mining
demands.
Yours, &c.
ALFRED ARGLES.

Office of the Alfred Argles G.M. Company, 96 Hill-street, [sic] Sydney,
July 21.