at the Tradegar works in Richmond. Some recent experiments have been made in Boston by Mr. Alger, so well known as an iron manufacturer, which have resulted in showing that the pig iron from the Roaring Run furnace (also in Botetourt,) is remarkably adapted for all foundry purposes. Within the last year excellent steel has been made at Richmond from iron manufactured at the Buffalo forge in Rockbridge, of pig metal from Weaver and Newkirk's furnace in Bath county. In Pulaski county, the Messrs. Graham are manufacturing cut nails of superior quality. In Montgomery, Wythe, and Washington, bituminous coal is found in the same locality with iron ores of good quality; but no furnaces have yet been erected to use that fuel in smelting these ores. This coal formation extends into Botetourt county, where a vein of four feet has been opened, near the Catawba furnace; but not mined to any extent. In Wythe, lead ores have been smelted with much success. The lead is wagoned to Lynchburg, from whence it finds its way to the northern markets, where it meets with ready sale, and is considered equal to any produced elsewhere in the United States. Extensive beds of gypsum are found in Washington, Wythe, and Granger, which is not inferior to that so extensively imported from Nova Scotia. In Washington county, on the waters of the Houlsten river, extensive salt-works have long been in operation, and have proved productive investments to their owners, as well as of great advantage to that community.

I will not lengthen this communication by any reflections on this mere enumeration of some of the treasures which Virginia possesses in this de lightful valley; nor on the short-sighted policy which causes them, for want of lines of transport to market, to a great extent to remain where nature placed them, but will proceed to a rapid view of the fourth great division of my state, the Transalleghany counties.

If nature has dealt out her riches with stint to other parts of Virginia, she has dispensed them here most profusely. Western Virginia is like the "great west," with which she is connected geographically, and in political destiny, is almost superabundantly supplied with all the elements of national wealth. I shall not digress to notice the fertility of the soil, nor the mild and salubrious climate with which this region is so eminently blessed; but will in very general terms notice the extent of her possessions in coal, iron ores, which forms the basis of England's manufacturing wealth, if not her national grandeur.

The great American coal-field which commences in Pennsylvania, and extends to the Mississippi, and even beyond it, enters Virginia in Preston and Monongalia counties, and passes across the state into Kentucky and Tennessee. Over this entire region, coal is found associated with iron ores in almost numberless localities. Iron-works of considerable extent have been established on Monongalia river, and in Wheeling and its vicinity. Coal is mined in many places for the use of those works, and for consumption in the cities on the Ohio; and no inconsiderable quantity goes to New Orleans as domestic fuel.

Near Charleston, on the Great Kanawha, salt is made in vast quantities to supply the Western States.

I am admonished, by casting my eyes over what I have written, that I am appropriating more of your pages than I fear will be acceptable to your readers, and I will therefore conclude with the hope that the subject will be resumed by some one more competent to afford the information you desired to obtain.

D.

Art. VI.-THE CHINESE MUSEUM IN BOSTON.

THE collection of the Chinese Museum, which is now open for public exhibition in the city of Boston, although not the first, is yet the largest that has ever been imported into the United States. The cabinet of the late Mr. Dunn, of a similar character, which was deposited in the city of Philadelphia, for the inspection of the public in 1839, was removed to the city of London, and these two are the only collections of this sort now known to be in existence; the present being the most considerable in the world. It embraces groups, presenting views of different forms in life, from the imperial court, through successive stages of society; the administration of justice, the different modes of travel, the practical exercise of the useful arts, commerce and agriculture, down to the peculiar kind of warfare which exists among that singular people; together with the various species of their manufactures, and indeed everything calculated to throw light upon Chinese character and institutions. We here have specimens of their shops, vessels, houses, lanterns, temples, tombs, bridges and paintings, and the innumerable products of industry, both useful and ornamental, which have peculiarly distinguished this ancient people. It is our design to show briefly the prominent features of this exhibition, by specifying the principal articles which it contains.

The entrance to the hall of the Museum, which is in the Marlboro' Chapel, is decorated with Chinese designs, being painted and gilded, and illustrated with such mottos as are calculated to distinguish the peculiar national character of the collection.

In the first place, we arrive at an apartment containing a group, the size of life, exhibiting the emperor and the principal personages of the imperial court, all the figures being covered with gold and silk embroidery; and in the next case, is the empress, accompanied by several ladies, the wives of mandarins of the several ranks, also richly clothed, with their attendants; adjoining this group, is a court of justice, where all the appliances of the law are administered, and a culprit is seen suffering the penalty of his crimes. In the fourth case, is a group representing a school, priests of the various religious sects, and paintings of numerous Chinese duties, as well as a tomb, mourning-dress, and mourning-lanterns. Another apartment portrays a domestic scene, namely, a Chinaman smoking opium, and his wife; and a female attendant with tea, all in a room such as is frequently occupied by individuals in that condition of life, with tables, chairs, book-case, made of bamboo; the walls adorned with paintings, lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and door-screen embroidered with gold.

We now arrive at the store of a merchant, which is alleged to be an exact representation of a mercantile establishment in Canton, where we find the same circumstances represented, as most commonly exist in the shops of that city at the present time. There are also presented views of Chinese modes of warfare, which clearly indicate the obtuseness or the obsti. nacy of the nation, in adhering to those instruments which it is obvious cannot successfully compete with the approved instruments of war in our own age. The next case gives us an accurate representation of an agricultural scene, in which is a man ploughing with a buffalo, as well as the various implements which are used for winnowing, irrigation, and other matters connected with husbandry. We also have a group in the collection, repre

senting a carpenter, a blacksmith, and a shoemaker, each employed in his appropriate occupation. A tanka boat, pagoda, lacquered baskets, and other articles of a similar character, are in the next case.

But one of the most interesting parts of the exhibition, is that of the porcelain manufacture. It is well known that the Chinese empire has been long distinguished for the variety and elegance of its manufactures of porcelain, the article itself being most frequently named after the nation in which it was first made. There is here exhibited almost every variety of this product of Chinese industry, some of it of the most elegant and costly kind. Following this, there are also represented the various musical instruments which are used in China, including the gong, which it is well known has been introduced into our own country. The different species of cards, and ornamented as well as other paper, constitute a curious part of the exhibition; for it will be remembered that the Chinese are peculiarly scrupulous in all those matters which appertain to etiquette and ceremony. A model of a summer-house, a silk-store, a China-ware and curiosity-shop, comprise a portion of the collection, that will be of great interest to the mercantile portion of the visiters; and various enameled articles of a light kind, indicate the excellence to which the Chinese have carried this branch of their manufactures.

A model of a canal-boat, similar to that in which the tea is transported from the interior to the places of shipment at Canton and other ports on the seaboards, exhibits the species of vessels which are employed to a great extent upon the inland waters and canals of the empire, where they are either pushed along by men with bamboo poles, or are tracked with ropes. In addition to this, is a model of the junks which are employed in the commerce of China, especially in the coasting trade. The sails of these, like those of other Chinese vessels, are composed of mats, the ropes and cables of split rattans, and the husk of the cocoa-nut, and the anchors of a hard wood named by the Chinese "iron-wood." The Chinese trading junks are very curiously managed; besides the captain or pilot, is the principal owner, or agent of the owner; the captain or pilot sits almost continually on the weather side of the vessel, observing the coast, and seldom sleeping. Although he possesses the nominal command of the vessel, yet the sailors obey him or not as they please, and there is but little discipline or subordination in the conduct of the crew. Next to the pilot, is the helmsman, and there is also employed a purchaser of provisions, as well as clerks for the cargo; and another individual is engaged, whose business it is to attend to the offerings at the religious shrines. Each individual is a shareholder, with the privilege of placing a certain amount of goods on board; and it is obvious that in such a state of things, there can be but little of prosperous navigation, or of successful seamanship.

There is also presented in the Museum, a model of a hong-boat, and a mandarin-boat or revenue-cutter, whose ostensible object is to prevent the smuggling of opium, but which is more frequently employed in assisting its operations, or, at all events, in collecting a certain amount of taxes from the smugglers, by the mandarins who have such boats in charge. In addition to those several prominent articles that we have enumerated, are many smaller, the product of manufactures, and which are variously used in domestic life and the arts, together with models of theatres, a Budhist Temple, colored lanterns, and numerous other things which are employed in domestic use, or that constitute staples of domestic export. We

would especially designate the numerous paintings, exhibiting in their execution the peculiar character of that class of Chinese productions.

In the various specimens of Chinese labor which are here collected, we perceive the products of a nation, which, notwithstanding its crowded population, possesses within itself all the resources of independence, without the absolute necessity of foreign commerce. The principal staples of import to our own country, which formerly consisted of silks, China-ware, and tea, have constituted a principal portion of the trade which we have prosecuted with that country up to this present time. The import of tea, it is well known, must continue, from the very great and increasing use of that staple with us; but from the manufacture of China-ware and silk elsewhere, their import to this country have been of late somewhat diminishing.

The recent difficulties which have sprung up between that nation and the British government, whatever might have been the merits of the question between them, there is no doubt, have induced such a negotiation, as to place the commerce of China with foreign nations upon a more permanent and solid basis. In consequence of the arbitrary and capricious exactions which have been exercised towards the persons and property of foreigners who have been employed in the Chinese ports, the commercial interests of Great Britain, as well as those of this country, have there suffered to a considerable extent; and the execution of a definitive treaty between our own country and that of China, has tended to define the position in which our commerce shall hereafter stand in the Chinese marts. From the contact of the Chinese empire with European civilization, we may, moreover, presume that the habits and wants of the people of that country will be materially changed; and that to the cotton goods, ginseng and lead, which we now export, will be added a long list of products, thus opening an increasing trade. We trust that whatever may be the change wrought in the condition of the Chinese, by its more extended commercial relations, the state of that empire may be advanced, and that the morals of the nation, which appear to be extremely debased, will receive an improved tone, not from an idolatrous philosophy, but from the spirit of a genuine and enlightened Christianity.

Art. VII-LIFE IN CALIFORNIA-BY A MERCHANT.*

AN unpretending volume, bearing the above title, and dedicated to William Sturgis, Esq., of Boston, one of the pioneers in the trade to the west coast of America, has just been ushered into life, without an acknowledged paternity. As this circumstance will, we fear, prejudice the sale of the work, we cannot but regret a course so modestly pursued by the author, however high we may appreciate the motives which induced it. The copyright notice leaves no room to doubt that it is the production of Alfred Robinson, Esq., of New York, one of our most enterprising and successful merchants. Mr. Robinson is a son of the late Colonel James Robinson, of Boston, who, for a long period, filled with honor civil posts of high trust, after having served in the Massachusetts line of the army, throughout the glorious contest which secured independence to the old confederation, and

* Life in California, by an American. New York, 1846. Wiley & Putnam. 1 vol., 16mo.

shed such broad-cast influence as promises eventually the establishment of other galaxies of free states extending to the utmost bounds of the western hemisphere.

The title of the work is alone sufficient to attract attention, in view of the present fever for the shores of the Pacific Ocean; although, to repeat a late conundrum, the course of our government regarding these shores, does not seem "to border much on the Pacific."

The volume in question, is "got up" in good style, with some interesting engravings elucidating the descriptions. It must be considered as very interesting, and quite descriptive of manners and customs of the dif ferent inhabitants of California. The relation of the personal adventures and business avocations of the author, gives us a much better idea of the domestic matters, the manner of living, the thoughts, sentiments, and actions of the natives, as well as of the sojourners there, than could be ob tained by long and dry episodical descriptions.

The work, moreover, is written in a free, off-hand style, and the taste for the romantic and beautiful evinced by the occasional short delineations of scenery, convinces us that although his main thoughts were upon "the advantages of trade," yet that when even journeying to gather merchandise, he had still an eye for the beautiful in nature; and his power of expressing these thoughts, makes us regret that he had not devoted more of his book to them. The proximity of California to our own territory, and our daily increasing commercial relations with it, render a knowledge of the resources of this magnificent region of the utmost importance. And it is not less a subject of congratulation, that the industrious and enterprising of the Anglo-Saxon race are exploring and peopling these remote regions, than that, Cæsar-like, they are giving us also their graphic commentaries upon their own achievements. On page 6, our author thus informs us of his arri val in California:

"On the afternoon of the 15th February, 1829, the fog cleared up, and we beheld the 'Punta de Pinos' bearing east, distant ten or twelve miles. This was the outer southern point of the bay of Monterey, into which we were soon slowly gliding. The breeze now died away, night closed around us, and as we approached our place of anchorage, nought was heard but the occasional cry of the leadsman in the chains, or the dip of the oars as the boatmen towed us slowly into port. Suddenly a flash was seen from the castle, the report followed, and a ball came whizzing across our bow, so near the boat as to throw upon the men the spray, as it glanced over the waters. Let go the anchor,' cried the captain. 'Aye, aye,' answered the mate, and then followed immediately the splash and the running out of the chain, until the heavy iron instrument had found its restingplace in the sand.

"A boat came off from the shore containing an officer of the customs and his assistant, sent by the commandant of the Presidio.' They appeared much pleased when informed that we wished to trade on the coast, and particularly so, when made acquainted with the nature and amount of the ship's cargo. The conversation soon became general, and the more intelligent of the two (Don Manuel Jimeno) gave us an account of the country, its government, missions, and its political condition at that time. He spoke also of the affair of the ship Franklin of Boston, which had a short time previous been detained by the authorities on suspicion of being engaged in contraband trade, causing much excitement throughout the country, and consequent restrictions on commerce. Her flight from the port of St. Diego was thought miraculous, running the gauntlet of a heavy battery within pistol shot of the cannon's mouth, and yet escaping without injury. On she sailed, leaving her enemies in the distance, little heeding their guns, till, once more rolling to the swell of the mighty ocean, she approach