  I show how one can use lattice methods to calculate various continuum
properties of SU(N) gauge theories; in part to explore old ideas that N=3 might
be close to N=infinity. I describe calculations of the low-lying `glueball'
mass spectrum, of the string tensions of k-strings and of topological
fluctuations for N=2,3,4,5. We find that mass ratios appear to show a rapid
approach to the large-N limit, and, indeed, can be described all the way down
to SU(2) using just a leading O(1/NxN) correction. We confirm that the smooth
large-N limit we find is confining and is obtained by keeping a constant 't
Hooft coupling. We find that the ratio of the k=2 string tension to the k=1
fundamental string tension is much less than the naive (unbound) value of 2 and
is considerably greater than the naive bag model prediction; in fact we find
that it is consistent, within quite small errors, with either the
M(-theory)QCD-inspired conjecture or with `Casimir scaling'. Finally I describe
calculations of the topological charge of the gauge fields. We observe that, as
expected, the density of small-size instantons vanishes rapidly as N increases,
while the topological susceptibility appears to have a non-zero N=infinity
limit.
