Volume 11 (1865) (424 pages)

The Rining 87 and Srientific Lress, —_—_— Lining and Scentific Press, a ¢. W. M. OMIT. DEWEY & CoO. Publishers, eweece. Busiog Kogitoa. Ww. B. EWPR. AY. DEWEY. Orrice—Nv. $05 Clas strvel, corner of Sansome, 23 floor. Terns of subseriptions One capy, per annuin, In atvance, Yav cupy. six menlha, la atvance ba For aste by Carricrs aml} te te Impossible for editors to know aby the merit» andl deinertis ob thetic correspondence, comeqnently the reader dust unl recelvé the epinions of aur contributors ascurewn. Intelligent dlacuasior ts Invited upeatall sides and the evideave uf any error which may appear wlll be reevlved In friendship and treated with respect. Amerienn and Forctygn Patents.—Lelters Palent for Inventorscan be secured tnibe Cilicd Sates and foreign comnirles through tho Mensxg and Sciyxcieic Ueess Vat xt Augscy. We affer applicania reasonable terms, umd they can rest awured of a sirict conipllance wlth our obllzations, ap] atalibful performance of all contracts, For relerenee, woe whit furulsh the names of mimerons pariics fur whom we bave obtained palenis during lhe past two years. = Funvornble to Invento ventions of machluery and have the same Hlustrated an : Scivatine Magss, (ree of charge, tin our judgmenl the dkeeovery is one of real merit, and of evdlelent hiterest to our refulers to warratt publication. pruaat linprovent xplained ithe Mis Payment in Advance.---Thils puper will vol be sent lo subseribers beyond the lerm pald for. The publishers well kuow that a good Journs] caunot be snstalned on the ercedll system sian Pranciseo: Saturday Morning, Aug. 12, 1865. Removal. The Office of the Mixtxg axp Sciaxtimie Press has been removed to the oll prinilng stand known as Waters Dros, & Co., soulhweat cornor of Cluny and Sansone streets, opposite tho Nlanile Hotel (belng one block soutlt of our former lveatlon), Where we may now be found, wUlh more commy-, dluns apariments and an extensive Jos Pristtxe Orrice, San Franelsco, April luth, 1865. Canvassing Agents. We wonld call attention to Ihe followlag named agents of the Mining aso SciantiriO Press As genticmun worthy of the of any c y which they may visit, and assislauce rendered them In thelr efforts, by friends and old patrons, or our brethren of the Press, will be acknowledged as a personal favor to us:— Mr. Robert LattImore—Amador anil Alpine counthes aud Ihe State of Nevada. Thos. Poyzer, of Orass Valicy, for Nevada, Yuba and Slerra counties, NewsraporiaL.—Tho Red Bluff Jndependent has come to hand enlnrged and otherwise improved. It has jnst cntered upon its sixth volume. The Napa Register has entered npon its third volume, and is doing yeoman service for its locality. The Folsom Telegraph commenced n new volnme with its issne of the 5th instant, and looks hright nnd new as ever. Thnt sterling journal, the Stockton IJndependent, one of the ahlest pnpers on the Pacific coast, has jnst entered upon the fifth year of its existence. The Cnltfornia Rural Home Journal has completed its first half-yenrly volume, and is one of the nentest and best agricultural journals published. Ifeavy RaitRoap Transactions.—lt is said thnt the Californin Steam Navigation Company has purehnsed the Onkland Ferry nnd Railroad line, and thnt the railroad is to he extended to Goat Island. It is also rumored that the Alnmedn Railroad is to he consolidated with the Oakland road. If the consolidation is effected, it is said that the preseut route of the <Alameda rond, from High street station to Snn Leandro, will be nbnndoned, and a new route for the consolidated compnny located east of tho telegraph road. It is also stated that George I’. Brngg, President of the Sncramento Valley Rnilroad Company, in hehalf of himself and severnl capitalists of this city, has purchased the interest of Pioche, Buyerque & Co., and L. L. Robinson, in that road, amounting to nearly one-half of the stock. Very Proper.—It is proposed to erect a magnificent bridge over the Potomac at Washington, as a monument to the late President. It is to he called “Lincoln Bridge,” nud n colossal statue of Mr. Lincoln is to ho placed in the center, or nt one cnd of the structure. Such monuments are far more appropriate than piles of marhle or grnnite designed for show ouly. A Hvex Loap.—Mr. Satntel Corrington recently hauled a little over ten tons from Placerville to Gold Hill, Nev., in one wagon, drawn by ten mules. e ~ EXPERIMENTS WITH GUN-COTTON. © . Some tinie ago we called the public attention to j the experiments with gun-cotton in blasting, which . Were ten in’ progress in several of our principal . niinex, Weare now able to Iny before our readers jthe results of what nppears to have been a very . therongh investigation, . Many years fire elapsed since guu-cotton was first manufactured. In tS46 it was confidently predicicd thut the material would supercede gun powder, both for xriillery and blasting, but owing to the occurrence of several disastrotts explosions, which were ascribed to the spontaneous iguiticn of the guu-cotton, its manufacture, in auy considerable quantities, was not, until recently, undertaken, The now process, invented by Baren Lenk, an Austrian, was patented, aud extensive works for the manufacture of the giun-cotton were creeted by Messrs. Thomas Prentice & Co., of Stewmarket, England—inen of great cnterprise and large means. The shipment of their putent gup-cottou to California was, we believe, tho first attempt made te iutrodnce it en this continent (ulthengh its stability and value liad already heen thoroughly dcinonstrated) and we donbt not that intelligence of the results of the experiments here, is awuited with interest. Before we proceed to show these results, wo will give a bricf summary of the advantages which such men as Professor Abell, F. R. S., Prefessor BE. A. Hadew, F. G. S., and John Scott Russell, F. R. S., tho civil engineer, maintain in faver of gun-cotton : 1. There is no smoke frem the explesion of gun-cotton. 2. Time, damp and exposure do not alter the qualities cf gun-cotton. It has already heen preserved ten years without injury or decay. 8. It ean be tlansportod threugh fire without danger, by simply being wetted, and when dried in the open airit hecomes as geodas hefore. In case of a building or a city being on fire, this quality may he of the greatest valac. 4. It is much safor than gun-powder, owing to its being mannfactured in the shape ef rope or yarn. Loose gun-pewder escaping frem its package, er spilled by accident, is a constant danger or canse of explosion, from which mannfactured gun-cotton is free. 5. The manufactured gun-cotton has the peculiarity of beiag entircly freo from the danger of spontancous combustion, and it is constant and unalterahle in its nature. 6, In driving tunnels through hard rock, a charge of gun-cotton of given size exerts double the explosivo power of gun-powder, s0 as to render a smaller number of holes necessary. 7. Gnn-cotton also may be so used as, in its explosion, to reduce the rock to much smaller picces than gun-powder, and so facilitate its removal. 8. As gun-cotton produces no smoke, tho work ean proceed much more rupidly, and with less injury to the health of the miners. 9. In working coal mines the advantages of hringing down much larger quantitics of material with a given charge, and the ahsence of smoke in the explosion, enahle a much larger quantity of work to he dono in a given time at a given cost. 10. The weight of gun-cotton required to produce a giveu effect in miniag is only one-sixth part tho weight of gun-powder. By tho purchase of gun-cotton the mincr economizes greatly in the cost of freight. In regard to the relative power of gun-cotton and gun-powder, Mr. Scott Russcli, in a recent address, said : ‘The next application made during the past year was to tho driving of tunnels, shafts and drifts, in connection with engineering applications. lt was stated by the committee that one-sixth of the weight of the charge of cotton was cqnal in blasting etfcet to gunpowder, and this had heen proved im practice ina numher of instances. At Wingerworth colliery onethirteenth of tbe weight of gun-eotton, ag eompared to gun-powder ; in the slate qnarrics at Llanberis, at Allen-Heads, one-seventh was required. At AllcnHeads, at some lead mines, a canal was heing driven seven miles long. ‘The drift was seven feet by tive in the hardest limestone. Both ends were worked b gun-cotton fired by an electric battery. The great advantage expericuecd was that the air was not eontaminated by smoke, and that the work conld he earried on More rapidly, ‘The next applleation had heen made to the detacbing of large masses of roek. This had been tried in several places, and it was found that one ponnd of gnn-cotton was able to detach from thirty to sixty tous of roek. Now, then, we como to the oxperiments to test tho valuo of gun-cotton which have heen made in our own State. After an investigation extending throngh tho period of two weeks, at the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines. Tho eminont mining engineer, C. E. Hawley, Esq., reports as follows : QUICKSILVER MINING COMPANY, t New ALMADEN MINE, Cal., Jnly 12, 1865. During the past fortnight we have heen using at these mines the gnn-eotton furnished by yon. At first the experlments were made nnder my own snpervision, and I ean bear witness, from my own ohecryation, to the yalue of this explosive agent in mining. The gangue rock of tho Alinaden vela le very hard magncelan Ilme-atone, la many places worth thirty dollare per foot (llucal) to work in ordinary drifts of stx feet by five. Ia other parts of 1he mine the rock Is partlally decomposed and easy lo work. ‘To my surprise, Ihe miners In roft rock are moro desirous, than any others, of using gul-cottoh. In the hard rock the coltou ts fully as cffeetlve an the ordiunry hlasting powder, with the material advantage over the lulter of breaklng the rock Into smaller fragments. ‘I'lris would be im eeonomy to ne. bol: lr handting In the mine and In cleaning the ore upon the planilla. tts strength, when compared wlth an equal welcht Pepa ne waar appears to be inuch greater than the after, But the most valuable qnallty lt porserses for our uec Ia Its frevdom from smoke. ‘This vein ls extremely Irregular, anc its workhige of great extent. Good ventilation caunot be maintalned everywhere, and sowie Of the richest “Inhores in the miucs are now serlously delayed by the smoke of blaniIng powder. The pertvet Iveedoin from smoke, of the gun-cottoa, would warrant us Inusing a limited quantity at considerable oe cost Iban blasting powder. I havo looked earenully for evidence of danger lu tamplog, aad have had it tested by various means, but so farne my Ihnited experleace of it woes, it ls quite ag anfe ne powder. A longer acquaiutaneo wlth 1t will probably develop new fealures which I do not now sce. A brief exnerlence hing rnuch surprised and pleased me, f return to you herewith the two pamphiets upon guu-cotton which you lowed me. When you receive others, will you be so kind ag to let me have one of ench? Also, permit me to suggest the advantage of maklng the gun-cotton better known In the mincs of the Kestern States. If yon can forward pamphiete to Mr.1homas Phillips, Scranton, Lnzerne county, Va., and to Hon. H, B. Wright, Wikes-Barre, Pu., these gentlemen being engaged lu the most extenslye coal operations of the United States, wonld probably be pene nerd themselves and influentlal in hehaif of your rade, I send an order to-day, ete. Yours, truly, Cc. E. HAWLEY, * Mining Kuglncer. In the ecunty of Nevada the material was tested in the hard rock of tho famous quartz mines of that region. The Suporintendont of the New York Company reports : NEVADA Cirr, Cal., July 24, 1865. I take pleasure In stating to you that the experiment in the Snenth & Clay mine, of gun-eotton for blasting, wie aperfect sucecss. Tho cbarge ignited quickly, exploded elearly, and broke tbe rock iully as nineh ita alarger charge of powder conld haye done. Tbere was no smoke attending tho dlsoharge. For dry or wet blasting, I think it 1s superior to powder, and caa be nsed with more safety. Yours, trnly, STEPHEN P. LEEDS, Superintendent N. Y. & G. V. M. Co. And Captain G. W. Kidd, who is well known everywhere to Californians, writes: NEVADA City, Angust 1, 1863. We have tried tho gun-cotton eharges yon left with our superintendent of the mine, and fiad the guncotton fives entire satlsfnetlon. It certainly ls preferable to powder ina miac. All we regret ls, you have not yet a supply for us. Weare, yours, truly, 8.8. B.G. & 8S. M. CO. Per GLO. W. KIDD, Sup’t, Further, tho gun-cotton has heen introduced to the copper miners of Calaveras, and they add their testimony of the value of the material. The superintendent of the “ Napoleon” says: NAPOLEON MINE, June 16, 1865. Ihave, hy your request, made a trial of Baron Lenk’s gnn-cotton. Tho resnlt has been very flattering. Of ita power, excentlon, cconomy and safety, there can be nodonht. It makes (in blasting) but very little smoke, being a great advantage in a mine.* Very respectfully, Ours, ett, JOHN A, STEINBERGER, Superintendent Napoleon Mine. And Mr. Miller, of the Live Oak, certifies : PHILADELPHIA & PACIFIC COPPER MINING Co., Live Oak Mine. I have, at your request, made a trial of the Lenk n-cotton. ‘The result has been a thorongh proof of its valne. It me ae pron: ae ee ae power, and ossesses every quality required for blasting purposce. 2 banat JAMES MILLERS Captain of Minc,* The gun-cotton has heen tried under the superintendeuce of Gen. Van Bokkelen, in the Alamance tunnel, Virginia City, with the same successful results. Tho Virginia Union, in an editorial on the subject, predicts that gun-cotton will eventually he in universal use for mining. 7 Before we close this satisfactory testimony to the value of gun-cotton, we may properly add that the shipment which has thus heen tested, came via Capo Horn, aud the captain of the vessel in which it was hrought, speaks thus of the comparative safety of gun-cotton as freight : SAN FRANCIsCcO, March 10, 1865. In reply to yonr enquiries as to gun-eotton, 1 have to say, that I should prefer to carry said article as freight (packed and boxed as the two cases shipped from London, per Dan. hark “ Hermine,”? under my eommand, were) than gun powder packed in the ordinary manner, ¢. ¢., wooden kegs. very respectfully, yours, 'T, H. BERRY, Master of the Bark “ Hermine." We might pnhlish other testimonials, hut as the foregoing seem to cover the whole question, we will close hy saying that any further information which may he required, will be furnished hy Rockwell, Coys & Co., merchants, tho sole agents for tho sale of the gun-cotton. *The “little smoke” ohserved was made by the eomhustion of the fuse. Genius anp Lazor.—Alexander [Jamilton once said to nn intimnte friend :—Men give me some credit for genius. All the genius that I have lies just in this: When I have a subject in hnud, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. I explore it in all its hearings. My mind becomes perynded with it. Then the effort which I make is what the people are pleased to cnll the fruits of genius. It is the fruits of labor and thought.” Tue Nicnorsoxn l’avemEyt.—Measures are in progress which will probably resnlt in having nearly the entire length of Montgomery street laid down with the new’ Nicholsou pavement. The reeent test of a section of this pavement in having thirty-five tons’ weight pass over it ou four wheels, withont producing tho lenst disturbing eflect, while the cohble stones were repeatedly ernshed down 60 as to require the nid of n jack-serew to get the whecls out, uppears to have pretty effectually settled the strength und endurance of this payeinent, ‘ oo am oe Caxxoy ar Tucumayp.—Government is rpidly dismantling the fortifications at Richmond and Petersburg, and shipping the cannon, cte., to the Washington aud other Northern nnvyyards and arsenals. ‘l'lic onmber of cannon of nll kinds, siege and field, is much larger than was originally snpposed. At Petersburg, just hefore its evacuation, niany cannon were buried and head-boards put up nt each end, to resemhle soldiers’ graves, The negroes, always loyal to the North, immediately revealed the trick, and upwntds of oue-lundred ficld-pieces have already Leen oxhumed. The nmount of war material now necumulnted hy government, hoth of its own manufacture ned captured from the rebels, is almost incredihle. Tue profits of quicksilver mining mny he inferred from the stntement, which appears to be reliable, that the New Almaden mine is now prodncing fivo thousand flasks of qnicksilver per month, worth forty dollars per fnsk, ortwo hundred thousand dollars per month, while the cost of production issct down at not far from fifty thousnnd dollars the five thousand flasks, leaving the niagnificent profit of one hnndred nnd fifty thonsand dollars per month. Now Worktno.—From a private letter received in this city by the Del Norte, on Wednesday, we learn that work is heing actively pusled on the Paragon Compnny’s claims, adjoining the Union Mattole Company, in Humholdt county. The Superintendent, Mr. T. G. Duff, expresses stronger faith than ever that an equal, if not better, showing of oil will be made within sixty days in the Paragon well than has yet been developed in the district. CatirorniA Annuat Fairs.—The Fifth Industrial Fair of the Mechanics’ Institnte commenced on the 10th instnnt, and will probably continne ahout four weeks. The State Fair at Sacramento will open on Monday, the 11th of Septemher, nnd continue through the week. The Snn Jonquin District Fair, at Stockton, commences September 26th, and will continue five days. The Fifth Annunl Fair of the Contra Costa Agricultural Society, commences on the 19th of Septemher, and continnes four days. The Northern District Agricultural Society meets nt Marysville, August 28th, and continues five days. ‘“ Tue French Academy of sciences is fthis year to designate, in accordance with the decree of the 22d of Novemher, 1860, the work of discovery of the greatest importance meriting the hiennial prize of 20,000 franes, founded by the Emperor. Borsrine or A Rerorr—On Tuesdny of last week, says the Nevnda 7yanscripi, while Jos Cook was retorting ahout two thousand dolInrs worth of amalgam in n blacksmith shop, the pipe hecame” choked, the retort horsted, and theamalgam flew ahout the shop. Mr. Cook was slightly injured. The amalgam was a clean-up from ten days' washing in the Gold Bluff Company's ground on Mnuzanita Hill, just below San Juan. Divipexps.—The Petaluma Mill and Mining Company, nnd the Imperial Silver Mining Company, each declared, on the 5th inst., a dividend—the former of five per cent., or five dollars per share, and the latter of ten dollars per share on the capital stock.

The Rining 87 and Srientific Lress, —_—_— Lining and Scentific Press, a ¢. W. M. OMIT. DEWEY & CoO. Publishers, eweece. Busiog Kogitoa. Ww. B. EWPR. AY. DEWEY. Orrice—Nv. $05 Clas strvel, corner of Sansome, 23 floor. Terns of subseriptions One capy, per annuin, In atvance, Yav cupy. six menlha, la atvance ba For aste by Carricrs aml} te te Impossible for editors to know aby the merit» andl deinertis ob thetic correspondence, comeqnently the reader dust unl recelvé the epinions of aur contributors ascurewn. Intelligent dlacuasior ts Invited upeatall sides and the evideave uf any error which may appear wlll be reevlved In friendship and treated with respect. Amerienn and Forctygn Patents.—Lelters Palent for Inventorscan be secured tnibe Cilicd Sates and foreign comnirles through tho Mensxg and Sciyxcieic Ueess Vat xt Augscy. We affer applicania reasonable terms, umd they can rest awured of a sirict conipllance wlth our obllzations, ap] atalibful performance of all contracts, For relerenee, woe whit furulsh the names of mimerons pariics fur whom we bave obtained palenis during lhe past two years. = Funvornble to Invento ventions of machluery and have the same Hlustrated an : Scivatine Magss, (ree of charge, tin our judgmenl the dkeeovery is one of real merit, and of evdlelent hiterest to our refulers to warratt publication. pruaat linprovent xplained ithe Mis Payment in Advance.---Thils puper will vol be sent lo subseribers beyond the lerm pald for. The publishers well kuow that a good Journs] caunot be snstalned on the ercedll system sian Pranciseo: Saturday Morning, Aug. 12, 1865. Removal. The Office of the Mixtxg axp Sciaxtimie Press has been removed to the oll prinilng stand known as Waters Dros, & Co., soulhweat cornor of Cluny and Sansone streets, opposite tho Nlanile Hotel (belng one block soutlt of our former lveatlon), Where we may now be found, wUlh more commy-, dluns apariments and an extensive Jos Pristtxe Orrice, San Franelsco, April luth, 1865. Canvassing Agents. We wonld call attention to Ihe followlag named agents of the Mining aso SciantiriO Press As genticmun worthy of the of any c y which they may visit, and assislauce rendered them In thelr efforts, by friends and old patrons, or our brethren of the Press, will be acknowledged as a personal favor to us:— Mr. Robert LattImore—Amador anil Alpine counthes aud Ihe State of Nevada. Thos. Poyzer, of Orass Valicy, for Nevada, Yuba and Slerra counties, NewsraporiaL.—Tho Red Bluff Jndependent has come to hand enlnrged and otherwise improved. It has jnst cntered upon its sixth volume. The Napa Register has entered npon its third volume, and is doing yeoman service for its locality. The Folsom Telegraph commenced n new volnme with its issne of the 5th instant, and looks hright nnd new as ever. Thnt sterling journal, the Stockton IJndependent, one of the ahlest pnpers on the Pacific coast, has jnst entered upon the fifth year of its existence. The Cnltfornia Rural Home Journal has completed its first half-yenrly volume, and is one of the nentest and best agricultural journals published. Ifeavy RaitRoap Transactions.—lt is said thnt the Californin Steam Navigation Company has purehnsed the Onkland Ferry nnd Railroad line, and thnt the railroad is to he extended to Goat Island. It is also rumored that the Alnmedn Railroad is to he consolidated with the Oakland road. If the consolidation is effected, it is said that the preseut route of the <Alameda rond, from High street station to Snn Leandro, will be nbnndoned, and a new route for the consolidated compnny located east of tho telegraph road. It is also stated that George I’. Brngg, President of the Sncramento Valley Rnilroad Company, in hehalf of himself and severnl capitalists of this city, has purchased the interest of Pioche, Buyerque & Co., and L. L. Robinson, in that road, amounting to nearly one-half of the stock. Very Proper.—It is proposed to erect a magnificent bridge over the Potomac at Washington, as a monument to the late President. It is to he called “Lincoln Bridge,” nud n colossal statue of Mr. Lincoln is to ho placed in the center, or nt one cnd of the structure. Such monuments are far more appropriate than piles of marhle or grnnite designed for show ouly. A Hvex Loap.—Mr. Satntel Corrington recently hauled a little over ten tons from Placerville to Gold Hill, Nev., in one wagon, drawn by ten mules. e ~ EXPERIMENTS WITH GUN-COTTON. © . Some tinie ago we called the public attention to j the experiments with gun-cotton in blasting, which . Were ten in’ progress in several of our principal . niinex, Weare now able to Iny before our readers jthe results of what nppears to have been a very . therongh investigation, . Many years fire elapsed since guu-cotton was first manufactured. In tS46 it was confidently predicicd thut the material would supercede gun powder, both for xriillery and blasting, but owing to the occurrence of several disastrotts explosions, which were ascribed to the spontaneous iguiticn of the guu-cotton, its manufacture, in auy considerable quantities, was not, until recently, undertaken, The now process, invented by Baren Lenk, an Austrian, was patented, aud extensive works for the manufacture of the giun-cotton were creeted by Messrs. Thomas Prentice & Co., of Stewmarket, England—inen of great cnterprise and large means. The shipment of their putent gup-cottou to California was, we believe, tho first attempt made te iutrodnce it en this continent (ulthengh its stability and value liad already heen thoroughly dcinonstrated) and we donbt not that intelligence of the results of the experiments here, is awuited with interest. Before we proceed to show these results, wo will give a bricf summary of the advantages which such men as Professor Abell, F. R. S., Prefessor BE. A. Hadew, F. G. S., and John Scott Russell, F. R. S., tho civil engineer, maintain in faver of gun-cotton : 1. There is no smoke frem the explesion of gun-cotton. 2. Time, damp and exposure do not alter the qualities cf gun-cotton. It has already heen preserved ten years without injury or decay. 8. It ean be tlansportod threugh fire without danger, by simply being wetted, and when dried in the open airit hecomes as geodas hefore. In case of a building or a city being on fire, this quality may he of the greatest valac. 4. It is much safor than gun-powder, owing to its being mannfactured in the shape ef rope or yarn. Loose gun-pewder escaping frem its package, er spilled by accident, is a constant danger or canse of explosion, from which mannfactured gun-cotton is free. 5. The manufactured gun-cotton has the peculiarity of beiag entircly freo from the danger of spontancous combustion, and it is constant and unalterahle in its nature. 6, In driving tunnels through hard rock, a charge of gun-cotton of given size exerts double the explosivo power of gun-powder, s0 as to render a smaller number of holes necessary. 7. Gnn-cotton also may be so used as, in its explosion, to reduce the rock to much smaller picces than gun-powder, and so facilitate its removal. 8. As gun-cotton produces no smoke, tho work ean proceed much more rupidly, and with less injury to the health of the miners. 9. In working coal mines the advantages of hringing down much larger quantitics of material with a given charge, and the ahsence of smoke in the explosion, enahle a much larger quantity of work to he dono in a given time at a given cost. 10. The weight of gun-cotton required to produce a giveu effect in miniag is only one-sixth part tho weight of gun-powder. By tho purchase of gun-cotton the mincr economizes greatly in the cost of freight. In regard to the relative power of gun-cotton and gun-powder, Mr. Scott Russcli, in a recent address, said : ‘The next application made during the past year was to tho driving of tunnels, shafts and drifts, in connection with engineering applications. lt was stated by the committee that one-sixth of the weight of the charge of cotton was cqnal in blasting etfcet to gunpowder, and this had heen proved im practice ina numher of instances. At Wingerworth colliery onethirteenth of tbe weight of gun-eotton, ag eompared to gun-powder ; in the slate qnarrics at Llanberis, at Allen-Heads, one-seventh was required. At AllcnHeads, at some lead mines, a canal was heing driven seven miles long. ‘The drift was seven feet by tive in the hardest limestone. Both ends were worked b gun-cotton fired by an electric battery. The great advantage expericuecd was that the air was not eontaminated by smoke, and that the work conld he earried on More rapidly, ‘The next applleation had heen made to the detacbing of large masses of roek. This had been tried in several places, and it was found that one ponnd of gnn-cotton was able to detach from thirty to sixty tous of roek. Now, then, we como to the oxperiments to test tho valuo of gun-cotton which have heen made in our own State. After an investigation extending throngh tho period of two weeks, at the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines. Tho eminont mining engineer, C. E. Hawley, Esq., reports as follows : QUICKSILVER MINING COMPANY, t New ALMADEN MINE, Cal., Jnly 12, 1865. During the past fortnight we have heen using at these mines the gnn-eotton furnished by yon. At first the experlments were made nnder my own snpervision, and I ean bear witness, from my own ohecryation, to the yalue of this explosive agent in mining. The gangue rock of tho Alinaden vela le very hard magncelan Ilme-atone, la many places worth thirty dollare per foot (llucal) to work in ordinary drifts of stx feet by five. Ia other parts of 1he mine the rock Is partlally decomposed and easy lo work. ‘To my surprise, Ihe miners In roft rock are moro desirous, than any others, of using gul-cottoh.

In the hard rock the coltou ts fully as cffeetlve an the ordiunry hlasting powder, with the material advantage over the lulter of breaklng the rock Into smaller fragments. ‘I'lris would be im eeonomy to ne. bol: lr handting In the mine and In cleaning the ore upon the planilla. tts strength, when compared wlth an equal welcht Pepa ne waar appears to be inuch greater than the after, But the most valuable qnallty lt porserses for our uec Ia Its frevdom from smoke. ‘This vein ls extremely Irregular, anc its workhige of great extent. Good ventilation caunot be maintalned everywhere, and sowie Of the richest “Inhores in the miucs are now serlously delayed by the smoke of blaniIng powder. The pertvet Iveedoin from smoke, of the gun-cottoa, would warrant us Inusing a limited quantity at considerable oe cost Iban blasting powder. I havo looked earenully for evidence of danger lu tamplog, aad have had it tested by various means, but so farne my Ihnited experleace of it woes, it ls quite ag anfe ne powder. A longer acquaiutaneo wlth 1t will probably develop new fealures which I do not now sce. A brief exnerlence hing rnuch surprised and pleased me, f return to you herewith the two pamphiets upon guu-cotton which you lowed me. When you receive others, will you be so kind ag to let me have one of ench? Also, permit me to suggest the advantage of maklng the gun-cotton better known In the mincs of the Kestern States. If yon can forward pamphiete to Mr.1homas Phillips, Scranton, Lnzerne county, Va., and to Hon. H, B. Wright, Wikes-Barre, Pu., these gentlemen being engaged lu the most extenslye coal operations of the United States, wonld probably be pene nerd themselves and influentlal in hehaif of your rade, I send an order to-day, ete. Yours, truly, Cc. E. HAWLEY, * Mining Kuglncer. In the ecunty of Nevada the material was tested in the hard rock of tho famous quartz mines of that region. The Suporintendont of the New York Company reports : NEVADA Cirr, Cal., July 24, 1865. I take pleasure In stating to you that the experiment in the Snenth & Clay mine, of gun-eotton for blasting, wie aperfect sucecss. Tho cbarge ignited quickly, exploded elearly, and broke tbe rock iully as nineh ita alarger charge of powder conld haye done. Tbere was no smoke attending tho dlsoharge. For dry or wet blasting, I think it 1s superior to powder, and caa be nsed with more safety. Yours, trnly, STEPHEN P. LEEDS, Superintendent N. Y. & G. V. M. Co. And Captain G. W. Kidd, who is well known everywhere to Californians, writes: NEVADA City, Angust 1, 1863. We have tried tho gun-cotton eharges yon left with our superintendent of the mine, and fiad the guncotton fives entire satlsfnetlon. It certainly ls preferable to powder ina miac. All we regret ls, you have not yet a supply for us. Weare, yours, truly, 8.8. B.G. & 8S. M. CO. Per GLO. W. KIDD, Sup’t, Further, tho gun-cotton has heen introduced to the copper miners of Calaveras, and they add their testimony of the value of the material. The superintendent of the “ Napoleon” says: NAPOLEON MINE, June 16, 1865. Ihave, hy your request, made a trial of Baron Lenk’s gnn-cotton. Tho resnlt has been very flattering. Of ita power, excentlon, cconomy and safety, there can be nodonht. It makes (in blasting) but very little smoke, being a great advantage in a mine.* Very respectfully, Ours, ett, JOHN A, STEINBERGER, Superintendent Napoleon Mine. And Mr. Miller, of the Live Oak, certifies : PHILADELPHIA & PACIFIC COPPER MINING Co., Live Oak Mine. I have, at your request, made a trial of the Lenk n-cotton. ‘The result has been a thorongh proof of its valne. It me ae pron: ae ee ae power, and ossesses every quality required for blasting purposce. 2 banat JAMES MILLERS Captain of Minc,* The gun-cotton has heen tried under the superintendeuce of Gen. Van Bokkelen, in the Alamance tunnel, Virginia City, with the same successful results. Tho Virginia Union, in an editorial on the subject, predicts that gun-cotton will eventually he in universal use for mining. 7 Before we close this satisfactory testimony to the value of gun-cotton, we may properly add that the shipment which has thus heen tested, came via Capo Horn, aud the captain of the vessel in which it was hrought, speaks thus of the comparative safety of gun-cotton as freight : SAN FRANCIsCcO, March 10, 1865. In reply to yonr enquiries as to gun-eotton, 1 have to say, that I should prefer to carry said article as freight (packed and boxed as the two cases shipped from London, per Dan. hark “ Hermine,”? under my eommand, were) than gun powder packed in the ordinary manner, ¢. ¢., wooden kegs. very respectfully, yours, 'T, H. BERRY, Master of the Bark “ Hermine." We might pnhlish other testimonials, hut as the foregoing seem to cover the whole question, we will close hy saying that any further information which may he required, will be furnished hy Rockwell, Coys & Co., merchants, tho sole agents for tho sale of the gun-cotton. *The “little smoke” ohserved was made by the eomhustion of the fuse. Genius anp Lazor.—Alexander [Jamilton once said to nn intimnte friend :—Men give me some credit for genius. All the genius that I have lies just in this: When I have a subject in hnud, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. I explore it in all its hearings. My mind becomes perynded with it. Then the effort which I make is what the people are pleased to cnll the fruits of genius. It is the fruits of labor and thought.” Tue Nicnorsoxn l’avemEyt.—Measures are in progress which will probably resnlt in having nearly the entire length of Montgomery street laid down with the new’ Nicholsou pavement. The reeent test of a section of this pavement in having thirty-five tons’ weight pass over it ou four wheels, withont producing tho lenst disturbing eflect, while the cohble stones were repeatedly ernshed down 60 as to require the nid of n jack-serew to get the whecls out, uppears to have pretty effectually settled the strength und endurance of this payeinent, ‘ oo am oe Caxxoy ar Tucumayp.—Government is rpidly dismantling the fortifications at Richmond and Petersburg, and shipping the cannon, cte., to the Washington aud other Northern nnvyyards and arsenals. ‘l'lic onmber of cannon of nll kinds, siege and field, is much larger than was originally snpposed. At Petersburg, just hefore its evacuation, niany cannon were buried and head-boards put up nt each end, to resemhle soldiers’ graves, The negroes, always loyal to the North, immediately revealed the trick, and upwntds of oue-lundred ficld-pieces have already Leen oxhumed. The nmount of war material now necumulnted hy government, hoth of its own manufacture ned captured from the rebels, is almost incredihle. Tue profits of quicksilver mining mny he inferred from the stntement, which appears to be reliable, that the New Almaden mine is now prodncing fivo thousand flasks of qnicksilver per month, worth forty dollars per fnsk, ortwo hundred thousand dollars per month, while the cost of production issct down at not far from fifty thousnnd dollars the five thousand flasks, leaving the niagnificent profit of one hnndred nnd fifty thonsand dollars per month. Now Worktno.—From a private letter received in this city by the Del Norte, on Wednesday, we learn that work is heing actively pusled on the Paragon Compnny’s claims, adjoining the Union Mattole Company, in Humholdt county. The Superintendent, Mr. T. G. Duff, expresses stronger faith than ever that an equal, if not better, showing of oil will be made within sixty days in the Paragon well than has yet been developed in the district. CatirorniA Annuat Fairs.—The Fifth Industrial Fair of the Mechanics’ Institnte commenced on the 10th instnnt, and will probably continne ahout four weeks. The State Fair at Sacramento will open on Monday, the 11th of Septemher, nnd continue through the week. The Snn Jonquin District Fair, at Stockton, commences September 26th, and will continue five days. The Fifth Annunl Fair of the Contra Costa Agricultural Society, commences on the 19th of Septemher, and continnes four days. The Northern District Agricultural Society meets nt Marysville, August 28th, and continues five days. ‘“ Tue French Academy of sciences is fthis year to designate, in accordance with the decree of the 22d of Novemher, 1860, the work of discovery of the greatest importance meriting the hiennial prize of 20,000 franes, founded by the Emperor. Borsrine or A Rerorr—On Tuesdny of last week, says the Nevnda 7yanscripi, while Jos Cook was retorting ahout two thousand dolInrs worth of amalgam in n blacksmith shop, the pipe hecame” choked, the retort horsted, and theamalgam flew ahout the shop. Mr. Cook was slightly injured. The amalgam was a clean-up from ten days' washing in the Gold Bluff Company's ground on Mnuzanita Hill, just below San Juan. Divipexps.—The Petaluma Mill and Mining Company, nnd the Imperial Silver Mining Company, each declared, on the 5th inst., a dividend—the former of five per cent., or five dollars per share, and the latter of ten dollars per share on the capital stock.