The arms being furnished, they would be tested and inspected by a select officer or agent, whose fidelity could be relied on. The good received and the bad rejected. The loss would be on the producer, not on the State.

2. CURIOUS MINERAL FEATURES OF CALIFORNIA.

A California paper thus describes the really wonderful geysers recently discovered in the northeastern part of Plumas county:

The area is almost flat, and surrounded on its edge by large boulders, which seem to be fragments of lava. It would be safe to say that on this little spot of ground one thousand boiling, steaming springs exist, and so loud is the sound produced by the escape of the steam, that it is impossible to distinguish the voice of a man ten feet from you. In some of these springs there is a kind of sediment, about the consistency of common mush, which simmers and gurgles, and at times entirely closes the aperture, which is invariably succeeded by a deafening explosion, in the escape of the confined steam. Everything smells strongly of sulphur, which may be gathered, in some instances, in large pieces, but is mostly found adhering to the rocks in the shape of palpable powderthe effect of crystallization. There is also another mineral produced in the same manner, resembling quinine in color and formation, but to the taste like alum, and there is no doubt but that it is alumina. On one side of said flat there is a kind of chalk, white as snow, and resembling plaster of Paris after having been prepared for casting. There is a little plain of this about twenty yards long, and about half that in width, as level as a floor. But what is the more remarkable feature is a stream of cold, pure water, running through the centre of the flat. You can safely move among the springs by submitting frequently to an envelopment in sulphurous vapor. About one mile from the flat, at an elevation of three hundred feet above it, there is a round lake, in diameter about fifty yards, which is in a continual state of agitation, resembling the boiling of a caldron; the earth around it is almost of a blood red. These springs are situated on the head waters of the north fork of Feather river and Lessen's Peak.

3.-PLATINA AND GOLD IN MISSOURI.

Dr. Albert Koch refers to the discovery of these precious metals in Missouri, as follows:

This vein, or deposit, I have found to be from forty to sixty feet in breadth, without, however, reaching the walls or earth side, and consists of green serpentine, running through granite, whose length or breadth has not been ascertained. The specimens of this deposit, up to this time, show two per cent. of gold and platina, the gold bearing on an average two thirds of the amount, so that the worth of the pure metal obtained would be about $15 per ounce, or $270 per pound. Now, as the samples yielded two per cent., it follows, of course, that one hundred pounds of mineral will contain a mixture of gold and platina to the amount of $400, or $10,752 worth in each ton of mineral.

The gold deposits of Missouri are entirely different from those of California, Australia or Pike's Peak, and cannot be followed at hap-hazard, but must be worked on a scientific plan; then they will not only yield an immense wealth to their immediate owners, but contribute largely to the prosperity of the whole surrounding country.

Lastly, I will only mention further of this interesting formation, that there are several smaller veins running out from the principal artery. Of these small veins but little is known at present, as they seldom crop out or make their appearance on the surface. Three of these have been slightly examined. One of the three makes its appearance at the edge of a small creek, two thirds of a mile from the opening of the principal deposit, and is of considerable interest to the geologist; on it the matrix consists of hornblende, containing no gold, and only four fifths per cent. of platina. It presents itself in irregular rhomboids, from five to six and ten inches in length. By sinking a small shaft on this vein to a depth of twenty feet, it showed a breadth of twenty inches, whereas at the top it only measured ten inches.

A second vein, crossing the above at right angles, is very remarkable, in that it comes in immediate contact with the enclosing walls of the other, and consists of similar rhomboids, but much smaller, and having the appearance of having been pounded, the remaining space being filled up with rounded balls, whose centres appear to contain platina.

4.--SEWING MACHINES.

Though it is estimated that the labor of 300,000 hands has been dispensed with by the introduction of the sewing machine, it is yet true, in point of fact, that hand labor in sewing is in as much demand as ever, and at rates which have not been reduced. In every respect, the introduction of such a machine must be a great public blessing. Would that the genius of the country could be equally successful in supplying a substitute for the exhausting drudgery of the pen. The following statistics have been furnished for our pages:

Total during 7 years.

The manufacture of sewing machines is becoming an important branch of industry. One firm alone employs upward of 400 hands, with a monthly payroll of $40,000; their works covering an area of nearly 4 acres in extent, and giving employment to a capital of $400,000. Estimating their average selling price at $85 (their value ranging from $50 to $150), we have $8.240,310 as the total amount for machines sold during the last seven years, one half of the sales having been transacted within the present year.

5. THE MARVELS OF INVENTION.

Some one who has recently examined the reports of the Patent Office for the past ten years, publishes the following curious items. We are not sure to which of our exchanges the credit belongs.

Among the thousand marvellous inventions which American genius has produced within the last few years, are the following, compiled in an abstract from the Patent Office Report. Read them over, and then say if you can, that there is nothing new under the sun.

The report explains the principles of the celebrated Hobb lock. Its "unpickability" depends on a secondary or false set of tumblers, which prevent instruments used in picking from reaching the real ones. Moreover, the lock is powder-proof, and may be loaded through the keyhole, and fired off till the burglar is tired of his fruitless work, or fears that the explosions will bring to view his experiments more witnesses than he desires.

Doors and shutters have been patented that cannot be broken through with cither pick or sledge-hammer. The burglar's occupation's gone.

A harpoon is described which makes the whale kill himself. The more he pulls the line, the deeper goes the sharp harpoon.

An ice-nriking machine has been patented, which is worked by a steam engine. In an experimental trial, it froze several bottles of sherry, and produced blocks of ice the size of a cubic foot when the thermometer was up to eighty degrees. It is calculated that for every ton of coal put into the furnace it will make a ton of ice.

From one examiner's report we gather some idea of the value of patents. A man who had made a slight improvement in straw cutters, took a model of his machine through the Western States, and after a tour of eight months, returned with $10,000. Another man had a machine to thrash and clean grain, which, in fifteen months, he sold for $60,000. These are ordinary cases, while such inventions as the telegraph, the planing machine, and India-rubber patents, are worth millions each.

Another examiner's report describes new electrical inventions. Among these is an electrical whaling apparatus, by which the whale is literally "shocked to death." Another is an electro-magnetic alarm, which rings bells and displays signals in case of fire and burglars. Another is an electric clock, which wakes you up, tells you what time it is, and lights a lamp for you at any time you please.

There is a "sound gatherer," a sort of huge ear-trumpet, to be placed in front of a locomotive, bringing to the engineer's ears all the noise ahead perfectly distinet, notwithstanding the noise of the train.

There is an invention that picks up pins from a confused heap, turns them around with their heads up, and sticks them in papers in regular rows.

Another goes through the whole process of cigar-making, taking in leaves and turning out finished cigars.

One machine cuts cheese; another scours knives and forks; another rocks the cradle; and seven or eight take in washing and ironing.

There is also a parlor chair patented that can be tipped back on two legs, and a railway chair patented that can be tipped back in any position, without any legs at all.

There is also a patent hen's nest, so completely arranged that the hen is constantly cheated into the belief that it has a real egg to sit upon, although the genuine deposit is carefully stowed away clear out of the hen's sight.

Another patent is for a machine that counts passengers in an omnibus and takes their fares. When a very fat gentleman gets in, it counts two and charges double.

There are a variety of patented guns that load themselves; a fishing line that adjusts its own bait, and a rat trap that throws away the rat, and then baits itself and stands in the corner for another.

There is a machine also, by which a man prints instead of writes his thoughts. It is played like a piano-forte, And speaking of pianos, it is estimated that 9,000 are made every year in the United States, giving constant employment to 1,900 persons, and costing over $2,000,000.

6. THE WASHOE SILVER MINES.

As world-wide as is the fame of California for her gold resources, appearances indicate that she may one day be rivalled by adjacent territories in their production of silver. Not alone Sonora and Arizona hold forth pretensions of this kind, but her immediate neighbor to the eastward, the incipient territory of Nevada, is beginning to send forth this metal in its crude state, in such quantities as to leave no doubt of the immense mineral wealth of that interesting section of our public domain. A telegraph despatch from Carson City to the Sacramento Union, under date of October 20th, states that fourteen loads of silver ore, from the Washoe mines, passed through that place on the date mentioned, destined for San Francisco. Twenty-seven tons had been forwarded from one of the claims, and ten from another. This ore is of fabulous richness, yielding from two to three thousand dollars per ton. One sixth of the claim of Welch & Co. was sold on the 20th inst. for $40,000. A recent analysis of the ore of Ophir Diggings, showed them to be rich in gold, as well as silver. The yield of the ore per ton, was $2,930 in gold, and $2,857 in silver. The black sand from placer diggings at Virginia City, yielded $3,000 in silver, and $300 in gold, per ton. The cost of transportation of silver ore to this city from these Carson Valley Mines, is at present about $100 per ton, leaving an immense return for the labor expended in mining.

A correspondent of the Mountain Messenger, writing of the mines at Virginia City, in the Washoe country, says: "The only means of breaking the rock for gold saving purposes, is the Mexican arastra, fifteen of which are now in use at Virginia City. The celebrated gold and silver bearing quartz vein, which is in very close proximity to the town, is quite extensive, although but fifty feet of the ledge is row being worked. The vein is four feet in width, and quartz coutaining gold as well as silver may be found so close together as to puzzle the brain of the greatest geologist living."

VOL. III.NO II.

EDITORIAL MISCELLANY.

| Catechism of United States History. By B. R. Carroll, of S. C.

These excellent School books are placed upon our table by the publish

Through the liberal grants of public lands, and by the aid of the State government, there is established, in a healthy location, near Alexandria, Louisiana, a State Seminary of Education for Young Men, on the principle of the Military Academies of the Carolinas, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, and Missouri. We are glad to see these institutions growing in number all over the

South. Military education is what our sons want, as, in all probability, they will soon be called upon to defend their hearthstones and their liberties. The Louisiana Institution is admirably organized, under Superintendent Sherman, who was a distinguished officer of the army, and several professors educated at the leading institutions of Europe and of Virginia. Five cadets will be admitted from each Senatorial district of the State, and we trust that the number will soon be filled.