Volume 18 (1869) (430 pages)

56 The Mining and Scientific Press. — 2 foo G AND ‘Somnnmi 2p RESS. > \ Wie 2h, BOR) 0 en ronce co a enornmanas Srntor Enitor. W. Be REWER. A. T, DEWEY. DEWEY & CO., Publishers. Orrickr—No. 414 Clay street, hetween Sansome and Batiery. Writers -hould he cautions about addressing correspondenee relating to tlie business or interestsof a firm to an individual member thereof, whose absence at the time might cause delay. Terms of Subseription: One copy, per annum, In advance. wee 5 OH One copy, six manths, in advanec. we. 3:00 gar For sale hy Carricrs and Newsdealers. <@ Our Agents. Oon Fatenns can do mnch matd of onr paper and the ecuse of practical knowledge and setence, hv assisting our Agents In their labors of canvassing, by lending their influ. ence and encournging favors. We Shall send none but worthy men. Traveling Acenta. A, B. Rutier, California, agent and correspondent. Wa, H, Merray, California. Dr_b. G. Yatrs. Gallfornin. 8. H. Herne. Callfornia and Nevada. T. G. AnprRsox, Nevada. KResident Agents. Warn Pine Distrcr.—Atexander Bruckman, Hamilton, Nevaca, Fikikva, Montana.—R. F. May. Beack Hawk, C. T.—Harper M, Ornhood, Centrat City, © T.--Messrs. Richards & Grane, of the City Book Store, Mnin strect. will act as onr agents. Groncetows. & T.—John A. Lafferty, Postmaster, ts our agent In thls place. Dexrer Crry, G. T.—Messrs. Woolworth & Moffat, are our agents for this place. . Gaurevsr, D1. T.—Mr. Robert Beersis our anthorized azent for this place. OataHa, T.—Messrs. Barkalow & Brothers, are our asenis for this place. A.S. Hopkins. No. 70 J street, Sacramento. Mr. A. C, Kwox, is our city soliciting and collecting Agent, and all subscriptions. or other fnvors extended to him, will be duly acknowledged at this office. Jan. 11, 1866 San Francisco: Saturday Morning, Jan. 23, 1869. Notices to Correspondents. Eoxvs.—The winds of California obey the same natural laws which rule in other localities, and possess no peculiar features other than what would obtain in any country similarly placed, as respects geographical and physical vircumstances. Our prevailing westerly winds are cbiefiy attrihutable to tho heating action of the sun’s rays on the valley lands, foothills, and tbe westeru slope of tbe Sierra Neyada; thus rendering the atmospbere lighter than that which rests on the adjoining Pacific, from which the cooler and heavier air rushes in, to replace the heated and lighter air lying over the land. This action is further facilitated by the sloping form of the Sierra Nevada, up whose sides a constant upward current of lighter air flows, equivalent to the inflow of the cooler and heavier air of the Pacific. iL. P.—Heat in its radiant state does not raise the temperature of the media which it p oluces; a tuhe fullof ether may he held ju the foeus of ahurning mirror without becoming sensibly hotter, but the moment the absorption of the rays is eaused in any way, as by introducing a piece of charcoal into the liquid, the ether enters into ebullition and becomes dissipated as vapor. Goano, Gilroy.—The fertilizing properties of guauo almost solely reside in the phosphate of lime and urates which it contains. The former actsin the same manner as finely pulverized bones; the latter is valuable because they eventually become converted into ammonia. Soapstons, Shaw’s Flat, Tuolumne Co.— The answer to your question is crowded out. We shall take ocoasion to add thereto next week. Tue New Sranpisa Steam Prow.—Our notes in regard to the new 100-horse power Standish steam plow—a great improvement on tbe first one constructed, and really promising to be a triumpb in view of its capacity to do economically tbe work intended—now nearly completed at the Union Toundry, and to be in running order in a few days, are reluctautly laid over till next week. The work done by Mr. Standish in Contra Costa County lately with the plow beretofore described in the Press, made such favorable impressions upon the minds of all who took the paius to examine into the operatious of the plow, that the general verdict on rotary knives with locomotivo power, without traction, has, we are glad to see, gone forth, prououncing it a success, oe ome ae Experiment in Buastinc.—An attempt is to be made at Fort Point to-day (Saturday) to blow up with the Hafenesger powder a submerged rovk forty feet long and fifteen feet wide. New Steps in Metallurgy. During the lull in miniug enterprise which has characterized the past few year's, a couviction has gained ground among millmen and others whoare most thoroughly identified with mining pursuits, that our fnture road to advaucement in that branch of industry lies in the direction of economical metallurgy. Many able men, on this coast, of scientific acquirements, and extensive experience in working of ores—men capable of originating something new where there are necessitics in the ease demanding it—have been devoting their hest talents aud uustinted energies to problems of the kind. While we should he slow to herald any new process in ompyrical metallurgy as a success, beyond its merits, it devolves equally upon us that we should not preclude, in our minds, the possibility of any new or really valuable improvement, in practical manipulation or in principle, heing hit upon by persons not masters in theory or in science. All new processes must bide the test of time; and everything is worth, trying, if we are to make any suhstantial advancement in the arts of metallurgy. Besides the Rivot and Hagan hydrogenburning furnaces, and the Noif electric deeomposition process, there is another new amalgamation process now in an advanced stage of development in this city, which is worthy of our attention, involving new comhinatious of principles, aud the results of which, it is claimed and promised, will effect the reduction of the hase metal ores at the extraordinary low figure of three dollarsaton. It is adry process, with the application of dry chemical reagents and of electricity. As careful assays and comparisons with the ordinary methods of working are being made and certified to, we bope to he able to present the details soon iu a properly tangiblo shape. pe Title to Layer Deposits. White Piue is much befogged, and clouded, possessorily and prospectively, under inky questions of law. The great Eberhardt trial is in progress at Austin, and acute lawyers, duly stimulated by the oceasion, are practicing the art of haudying each other’s witnesses as lawyers kuow exo:edingly well how to do, where a few millions of dollars are invelved. As in the great Comstock trials, at Virginia City, tho result depends to a considerable extent ou the opinions of geologists and experts. Of these there is uo lack, persous ready to express their opinions; aud the competent and honest, no less than tbe partially reliable and the dishonest, are treated in turn to the delicacy of ‘‘eating their owu words "—as they had it at Virginia,—and more too, with legal sauce. The ores in question being those actually exploited, are generally conceded to he of tho nature of layer deposits, from infiltration, and belonging to the bog-iron and mangauese class, which are, or ought to be, held hy their superficial extent, independently of the question of the origin of the metal so deposited. If neitber the district miner’s law, nor the general law, provides for a superficial location, —no law existing to fit to the tacts of nature in the case,—the determining issue seems to recur to the question of how fara defective law is to be followed to tho letter, iu order to meet out justice, or, in its stead, the intention of geueral United States and foreign laws and procedents, governing as in the case of bog-iron and placer gold mines; which certainly are, and ougbt to be, applicable to claims of title by superficial extent. — ee Fanny VELOcIPEDES.—We saw recently at tbe Pioneer velocipede establishment (Golden State Fonndry), a three-wheeled velocipede, which might he designated as a family vehicle, it being of sufficient capacity to carry several individuals at once, With experienced operators it has ruu at the rate of a mile iu 3% minutes. New Maps. Photographie copies, in sections, of Mr. Montague’s heautiful Central Pacific R. R. maps, showing numerous and accurate details of the iuterior uot beretofore represented, may be seen at the office of Calvin Brown, C. E.,No. 615 Sacramento street. These maps were made principally from the notes of Butler Ives, C.E.,theexploring and locating engineer of the road, to whose excellent qualifications for that duty, great energy and peculiar talent as an explorer, are dune the creditof markingout, the favorahle and favored places where the iron line was shortly to be traced, for civilization to display its magic influences in the deserts. Data here jotted down, are the results of years of the most arduous lahor, in the reconnoissance of available passes, and of the most favorable routes,— involving the climbing of the principal commauding mountains, and the execution of acomplete system of triangulation connecting and locating every visihle poiut hetween the California boundary and Salt Lake, aud ineluding the observation everywhere of hights, barometrically: A new map of the State of Sinaloa is being completed by Col. Charles FE. Norton, C. ¥6., which will be very minute in its details. The agricultural districts and products; the mines of gold and silver; witb roads, rivers, ports, ete., are uoted with much exactness, as also the population of all the principal towns. Amongst the new maps exposed for sale, C. D. Gibbs, C. E. has compiled from ‘‘authentic sources” a little map of the White Pine district, including portions of the counties of Nye, Esmeralda, Churchill and Humboldt, and the westeru horder of Utab. It is about eighteen inches square, and not very nicely executed, hut shows the geography and topography of the country sufiicieutly well to make it quite useful. Another map of White Pine has been published hy William McMnrray, C. E., which is much larger,—ahont three feet square,—aud better executed, hut embraces a smaller section of country; containing, however, a great deal of valuahle information ahout the geography, miues, etc., in the vicinity of Treasure Hill. On the margin is a section through Treasure Hill, showing the location of the principal mines, The geological points of the district are not taken notice of, or represented, inany manner, in either of the above maps. Frey’s Topographical, Railroad Connty map of California aud Nevada, is a well-gotten-up New York publication ou ahout tho usual scale, just issued; showing some improvements and corrections, and leaving room for a great many more, whicb are not, however, wholly to he laid to the charge of the author, in the present imperfectstate of the surveys. ee Acaprmy or Naturst Screncrs.—A regular meeting of the California Academy of Natural Scieuces was beld on Monday evening, Jan. 18th, the Presideut, Dr. Blake in the chair, W. Frank Stewart of San José, and Professor George Davidson of the United States Coast Survey, were elected resident members. President Blake presented specimens of the carboniferous formation in au imperfectstate of formation, found on Treasure Hill, White Pine District. A specimen of fungus, incorporating acorns in its growth, found near Martiuez, was presented by Mr. Mathewson. Remarks were made by members upon the lower forms of organized matter, and President Blake was requested to give his views at length upon the subject at the next meeting of the Academy. Dr. Cooper announced that the printed proceedings of the Academy for 1868 were ready for distribution. He also moved that the members of the Academy be divided into classes on Botany, Mineralogy, Conchology, ete., in order to a more thorough investigation of the respective hranches. The proposition was discussed and finally withdrawn, after which the meeting adjourued. and. Creating a Vacuum by Means of Falling Water. Mr. Gordon, of Bush street, near Kearny, mukos use of the Torricellian method of creatiug a vacuum, and recommends its application for the exhanstion of air in mannfacturing processes; as in the kyanizing of wood, the making artificial stone hy the Ransome process, etc. The principle is, that in an inverted tnrbe which has been filled with any fluid, the escape of the fiuid below, creates a vacuum above it. This fact having heen first discovered by Torricelli, the vacuum has been called the Torricellian vacuum. It is on tho same principle that the mercurial harometer works; a 30-inoh column of mercury draws a short vacunm ahove it, which is counterbalanced at the other end by the pressure of the atmospbere—which varies about three incbes. Iu other words, the weight of tbe atmosphere forms a counterpoise to just 28 inches of mercury; but wheu there are 30 inches of mercury, its weigbt will create a vacuum. Water being one fourteenth the weight of mercury, it will counterpoise the atmosphere ata height just fourteen times as great—or 32 feet, as we find in pumps, hy tbe height that the water rises therein. Mr. Gordon has a tank, and an cxhausting vessel, fitted up in his working room, . to demonstrate the practical availability of this principle for the exhaustion of air on alarge scale. Below tbe tank is a pipe something over 32 feet in length, and near its upper end is a juint connecting witb an exbausting vessel. When the water is let out below, this vessel is exhausted; then the valves are closed, the empty space above, in the pipe, is refilled from the tank, and the operation is repeated; exhausting still further the air in the exhausting vessel. Tis operation is repeated six or eight times, until there is a more perfect vacunm shown hy an attached column of mercury than can be obtained with the air pump. Mr. Gordon’s apparatus is very simple, and durable; tho only requisite is plenty of water, with a sufficient fell. In the kyanizing and stone mannfacturing processes in this city—where the air is exhausted in ordor that chemical solutions shall be forced in to supply the vacuum,—it is found more convenieut at present, however, to accomplish the result with tho air pump and steam power. A Goop Worp ror us.—We clip the following appreciative notice from the American Gus Light Journal, of Dee. 2d. The initials at the hottom sbow that it is hy Prof. Henry Wurtz, whose Chemical Repertory and Chemical Excerpta constitute of late, so important and valuable a featnre of that journal. Snch a notice, from sucb a pen, is most gratifying. We shall cordially welcome such contributions as he proposes to make to our columns: Yur Miune anp Scientirio Press, oF San Francisco.—-Of this important journal, thanks are due to thio editors, for the recent receipt of complete files forsome two years back. The assiduity and discrimination of this journal in tbe collection of scientific intelligence, are wholly withont parallel in a community so young; and its columns convey a striking view of the surprising activity of inquiry, invention, and even of discovery, in our Pacific States, whose gigantic future needs no prophetic power to foresee. The “ embarrassment of riches is the predominant emotion produced hy inspection of its overflowing columns. Effort will soon ho made, however, to mete out, within our crowded space, sncb small justice as mayhe to Californian progress, and to this, its most worthy exponent. Under this head, I can now but add that, perceiviug recent communications in the Press from some of its able and intelligent local scientific contrihutors on the mode of formation of gold nuggets, to which I have myself given some study, I feel it not altogether out of place to say that I propose soon to contrihute my own mite to this discussion through its columns. H.W. oe Coxriventan Life Insurance Company, 203 Montgomery street, corner of Pine.

56 The Mining and Scientific Press. — 2 foo G AND ‘Somnnmi 2p RESS. > \ Wie 2h, BOR) 0 en ronce co a enornmanas Srntor Enitor. W. Be REWER. A. T, DEWEY. DEWEY & CO., Publishers. Orrickr—No. 414 Clay street, hetween Sansome and Batiery. Writers -hould he cautions about addressing correspondenee relating to tlie business or interestsof a firm to an individual member thereof, whose absence at the time might cause delay. Terms of Subseription: One copy, per annum, In advance. wee 5 OH One copy, six manths, in advanec. we. 3:00 gar For sale hy Carricrs and Newsdealers. <@ Our Agents. Oon Fatenns can do mnch matd of onr paper and the ecuse of practical knowledge and setence, hv assisting our Agents In their labors of canvassing, by lending their influ. ence and encournging favors. We Shall send none but worthy men. Traveling Acenta. A, B. Rutier, California, agent and correspondent. Wa, H, Merray, California. Dr_b. G. Yatrs. Gallfornin. 8. H. Herne. Callfornia and Nevada. T. G. AnprRsox, Nevada. KResident Agents. Warn Pine Distrcr.—Atexander Bruckman, Hamilton, Nevaca, Fikikva, Montana.—R. F. May. Beack Hawk, C. T.—Harper M, Ornhood, Centrat City, © T.--Messrs. Richards & Grane, of the City Book Store, Mnin strect. will act as onr agents. Groncetows. & T.—John A. Lafferty, Postmaster, ts our agent In thls place. Dexrer Crry, G. T.—Messrs. Woolworth & Moffat, are our agents for this place. . Gaurevsr, D1. T.—Mr. Robert Beersis our anthorized azent for this place. OataHa, T.—Messrs. Barkalow & Brothers, are our asenis for this place. A.S. Hopkins. No. 70 J street, Sacramento. Mr. A. C, Kwox, is our city soliciting and collecting Agent, and all subscriptions. or other fnvors extended to him, will be duly acknowledged at this office. Jan. 11, 1866 San Francisco: Saturday Morning, Jan. 23, 1869. Notices to Correspondents. Eoxvs.—The winds of California obey the same natural laws which rule in other localities, and possess no peculiar features other than what would obtain in any country similarly placed, as respects geographical and physical vircumstances. Our prevailing westerly winds are cbiefiy attrihutable to tho heating action of the sun’s rays on the valley lands, foothills, and tbe westeru slope of tbe Sierra Neyada; thus rendering the atmospbere lighter than that which rests on the adjoining Pacific, from which the cooler and heavier air rushes in, to replace the heated and lighter air lying over the land. This action is further facilitated by the sloping form of the Sierra Nevada, up whose sides a constant upward current of lighter air flows, equivalent to the inflow of the cooler and heavier air of the Pacific. iL. P.—Heat in its radiant state does not raise the temperature of the media which it p oluces; a tuhe fullof ether may he held ju the foeus of ahurning mirror without becoming sensibly hotter, but the moment the absorption of the rays is eaused in any way, as by introducing a piece of charcoal into the liquid, the ether enters into ebullition and becomes dissipated as vapor. Goano, Gilroy.—The fertilizing properties of guauo almost solely reside in the phosphate of lime and urates which it contains. The former actsin the same manner as finely pulverized bones; the latter is valuable because they eventually become converted into ammonia. Soapstons, Shaw’s Flat, Tuolumne Co.— The answer to your question is crowded out. We shall take ocoasion to add thereto next week. Tue New Sranpisa Steam Prow.—Our notes in regard to the new 100-horse power Standish steam plow—a great improvement on tbe first one constructed, and really promising to be a triumpb in view of its capacity to do economically tbe work intended—now nearly completed at the Union Toundry, and to be in running order in a few days, are reluctautly laid over till next week. The work done by Mr. Standish in Contra Costa County lately with the plow beretofore described in the Press, made such favorable impressions upon the minds of all who took the paius to examine into the operatious of the plow, that the general verdict on rotary knives with locomotivo power, without traction, has, we are glad to see, gone forth, prououncing it a success, oe ome ae Experiment in Buastinc.—An attempt is to be made at Fort Point to-day (Saturday) to blow up with the Hafenesger powder a submerged rovk forty feet long and fifteen feet wide. New Steps in Metallurgy. During the lull in miniug enterprise which has characterized the past few year's, a couviction has gained ground among millmen and others whoare most thoroughly identified with mining pursuits, that our fnture road to advaucement in that branch of industry lies in the direction of economical metallurgy. Many able men, on this coast, of scientific acquirements, and extensive experience in working of ores—men capable of originating something new where there are necessitics in the ease demanding it—have been devoting their hest talents aud uustinted energies to problems of the kind. While we should he slow to herald any new process in ompyrical metallurgy as a success, beyond its merits, it devolves equally upon us that we should not preclude, in our minds, the possibility of any new or really valuable improvement, in practical manipulation or in principle, heing hit upon by persons not masters in theory or in science. All new processes must bide the test of time; and everything is worth, trying, if we are to make any suhstantial advancement in the arts of metallurgy. Besides the Rivot and Hagan hydrogenburning furnaces, and the Noif electric deeomposition process, there is another new amalgamation process now in an advanced stage of development in this city, which is worthy of our attention, involving new comhinatious of principles, aud the results of which, it is claimed and promised, will effect the reduction of the hase metal ores at the extraordinary low figure of three dollarsaton. It is adry process, with the application of dry chemical reagents and of electricity. As careful assays and comparisons with the ordinary methods of working are being made and certified to, we bope to he able to present the details soon iu a properly tangiblo shape. pe Title to Layer Deposits. White Piue is much befogged, and clouded, possessorily and prospectively, under inky questions of law. The great Eberhardt trial is in progress at Austin, and acute lawyers, duly stimulated by the oceasion, are practicing the art of haudying each other’s witnesses as lawyers kuow exo:edingly well how to do, where a few millions of dollars are invelved. As in the great Comstock trials, at Virginia City, tho result depends to a considerable extent ou the opinions of geologists and experts. Of these there is uo lack, persous ready to express their opinions; aud the competent and honest, no less than tbe partially reliable and the dishonest, are treated in turn to the delicacy of ‘‘eating their owu words "—as they had it at Virginia,—and more too, with legal sauce. The ores in question being those actually exploited, are generally conceded to he of tho nature of layer deposits, from infiltration, and belonging to the bog-iron and mangauese class, which are, or ought to be, held hy their superficial extent, independently of the question of the origin of the metal so deposited. If neitber the district miner’s law, nor the general law, provides for a superficial location, —no law existing to fit to the tacts of nature in the case,—the determining issue seems to recur to the question of how fara defective law is to be followed to tho letter, iu order to meet out justice, or, in its stead, the intention of geueral United States and

foreign laws and procedents, governing as in the case of bog-iron and placer gold mines; which certainly are, and ougbt to be, applicable to claims of title by superficial extent. — ee Fanny VELOcIPEDES.—We saw recently at tbe Pioneer velocipede establishment (Golden State Fonndry), a three-wheeled velocipede, which might he designated as a family vehicle, it being of sufficient capacity to carry several individuals at once, With experienced operators it has ruu at the rate of a mile iu 3% minutes. New Maps. Photographie copies, in sections, of Mr. Montague’s heautiful Central Pacific R. R. maps, showing numerous and accurate details of the iuterior uot beretofore represented, may be seen at the office of Calvin Brown, C. E.,No. 615 Sacramento street. These maps were made principally from the notes of Butler Ives, C.E.,theexploring and locating engineer of the road, to whose excellent qualifications for that duty, great energy and peculiar talent as an explorer, are dune the creditof markingout, the favorahle and favored places where the iron line was shortly to be traced, for civilization to display its magic influences in the deserts. Data here jotted down, are the results of years of the most arduous lahor, in the reconnoissance of available passes, and of the most favorable routes,— involving the climbing of the principal commauding mountains, and the execution of acomplete system of triangulation connecting and locating every visihle poiut hetween the California boundary and Salt Lake, aud ineluding the observation everywhere of hights, barometrically: A new map of the State of Sinaloa is being completed by Col. Charles FE. Norton, C. ¥6., which will be very minute in its details. The agricultural districts and products; the mines of gold and silver; witb roads, rivers, ports, ete., are uoted with much exactness, as also the population of all the principal towns. Amongst the new maps exposed for sale, C. D. Gibbs, C. E. has compiled from ‘‘authentic sources” a little map of the White Pine district, including portions of the counties of Nye, Esmeralda, Churchill and Humboldt, and the westeru horder of Utab. It is about eighteen inches square, and not very nicely executed, hut shows the geography and topography of the country sufiicieutly well to make it quite useful. Another map of White Pine has been published hy William McMnrray, C. E., which is much larger,—ahont three feet square,—aud better executed, hut embraces a smaller section of country; containing, however, a great deal of valuahle information ahout the geography, miues, etc., in the vicinity of Treasure Hill. On the margin is a section through Treasure Hill, showing the location of the principal mines, The geological points of the district are not taken notice of, or represented, inany manner, in either of the above maps. Frey’s Topographical, Railroad Connty map of California aud Nevada, is a well-gotten-up New York publication ou ahout tho usual scale, just issued; showing some improvements and corrections, and leaving room for a great many more, whicb are not, however, wholly to he laid to the charge of the author, in the present imperfectstate of the surveys. ee Acaprmy or Naturst Screncrs.—A regular meeting of the California Academy of Natural Scieuces was beld on Monday evening, Jan. 18th, the Presideut, Dr. Blake in the chair, W. Frank Stewart of San José, and Professor George Davidson of the United States Coast Survey, were elected resident members. President Blake presented specimens of the carboniferous formation in au imperfectstate of formation, found on Treasure Hill, White Pine District. A specimen of fungus, incorporating acorns in its growth, found near Martiuez, was presented by Mr. Mathewson. Remarks were made by members upon the lower forms of organized matter, and President Blake was requested to give his views at length upon the subject at the next meeting of the Academy. Dr. Cooper announced that the printed proceedings of the Academy for 1868 were ready for distribution. He also moved that the members of the Academy be divided into classes on Botany, Mineralogy, Conchology, ete., in order to a more thorough investigation of the respective hranches. The proposition was discussed and finally withdrawn, after which the meeting adjourued. and. Creating a Vacuum by Means of Falling Water. Mr. Gordon, of Bush street, near Kearny, mukos use of the Torricellian method of creatiug a vacuum, and recommends its application for the exhanstion of air in mannfacturing processes; as in the kyanizing of wood, the making artificial stone hy the Ransome process, etc. The principle is, that in an inverted tnrbe which has been filled with any fluid, the escape of the fiuid below, creates a vacuum above it. This fact having heen first discovered by Torricelli, the vacuum has been called the Torricellian vacuum. It is on tho same principle that the mercurial harometer works; a 30-inoh column of mercury draws a short vacunm ahove it, which is counterbalanced at the other end by the pressure of the atmospbere—which varies about three incbes. Iu other words, the weight of tbe atmosphere forms a counterpoise to just 28 inches of mercury; but wheu there are 30 inches of mercury, its weigbt will create a vacuum. Water being one fourteenth the weight of mercury, it will counterpoise the atmosphere ata height just fourteen times as great—or 32 feet, as we find in pumps, hy tbe height that the water rises therein. Mr. Gordon has a tank, and an cxhausting vessel, fitted up in his working room, . to demonstrate the practical availability of this principle for the exhaustion of air on alarge scale. Below tbe tank is a pipe something over 32 feet in length, and near its upper end is a juint connecting witb an exbausting vessel. When the water is let out below, this vessel is exhausted; then the valves are closed, the empty space above, in the pipe, is refilled from the tank, and the operation is repeated; exhausting still further the air in the exhausting vessel. Tis operation is repeated six or eight times, until there is a more perfect vacunm shown hy an attached column of mercury than can be obtained with the air pump. Mr. Gordon’s apparatus is very simple, and durable; tho only requisite is plenty of water, with a sufficient fell. In the kyanizing and stone mannfacturing processes in this city—where the air is exhausted in ordor that chemical solutions shall be forced in to supply the vacuum,—it is found more convenieut at present, however, to accomplish the result with tho air pump and steam power. A Goop Worp ror us.—We clip the following appreciative notice from the American Gus Light Journal, of Dee. 2d. The initials at the hottom sbow that it is hy Prof. Henry Wurtz, whose Chemical Repertory and Chemical Excerpta constitute of late, so important and valuable a featnre of that journal. Snch a notice, from sucb a pen, is most gratifying. We shall cordially welcome such contributions as he proposes to make to our columns: Yur Miune anp Scientirio Press, oF San Francisco.—-Of this important journal, thanks are due to thio editors, for the recent receipt of complete files forsome two years back. The assiduity and discrimination of this journal in tbe collection of scientific intelligence, are wholly withont parallel in a community so young; and its columns convey a striking view of the surprising activity of inquiry, invention, and even of discovery, in our Pacific States, whose gigantic future needs no prophetic power to foresee. The “ embarrassment of riches is the predominant emotion produced hy inspection of its overflowing columns. Effort will soon ho made, however, to mete out, within our crowded space, sncb small justice as mayhe to Californian progress, and to this, its most worthy exponent. Under this head, I can now but add that, perceiviug recent communications in the Press from some of its able and intelligent local scientific contrihutors on the mode of formation of gold nuggets, to which I have myself given some study, I feel it not altogether out of place to say that I propose soon to contrihute my own mite to this discussion through its columns. H.W. oe Coxriventan Life Insurance Company, 203 Montgomery street, corner of Pine.