as a whole, and it would appear that a Govern-
ment subsidy for mail or other service is almost
necessary to make them profitable.


MINES.

Speculation in shares of mining companies
has of late years been indulged in to an enor-
mous extent, and large fortunes have been made
and much money lost. As a rule the prizes
have been secured by those behind the scenes,
and the public have not had the opportunity
of participating until the price of shares had
reached a figure which was almost prohibitory.
As an investment mining shares, even of the
best, are not to be recommended. Mines are
apt to get worked out when the source of income
fails and there is an end to the concern. More-
over, hundreds of companies are promoted which
have a specious appearance on the prospectus,
and are puffed in every imaginable way, when
they have not an ounce of ore or a yard of
ground to call their own. Of course, there are
genuine undertakings which answer well and
yield large profits, but it is extremely difficult to
discriminate between the good and the bad, and
the best after all are but a speculation.