Lake Michigan, and another to the town of Galena in said State, with the right, also, to take necessary materials of earth, stones, timber, etc., for the construction thereof: Provided, that the right of way shall not exceed one hundred feet on each side of the length thereof, and a copy of the survey of said road and branches, made under the direction of the legislature, shall be forwarded to the proper local land offices respectively, and to the general land office at Washington City, within ninety days after the completion of the same.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That there be, and is hereby, granted to the State of Illinois, for the purpose of aiding in making the railroad and branches aforesaid, every alternate section of land designated by even numbers, for six sections in width on each side of said road and branches; but in case it shall appear that the United States have, when the line or route of said road and branches is definitely fixed by the authority aforesaid, sold any part of any section hereby granted, or that the right of pre-emption has attached to the same, then it shall be lawful for any agent or agents to be appointed by the governor of said State, to select, subject to the approval aforesaid, from the lands of the United States most contiguous to the tier of sections above specified, so much land in alternate sections, or parts of sections, as shall be equal to such lands as the United States have sold, or to which the right or pre-emption has attached as aforesaid, which lands being equal in quantity to one-half of six sections in width on each side of said road and branches, the State of Illinois shall have and hold to, and for the use and purpose aforesaid: Provided, that the lands to be so located, shall in no case be further than fifteen miles from the line of the road: And Provided further, the construction of said road shall be comménced at its southern terminus, at or near the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and its northern terminus upon the Illinois and Michigan canal simultaneously, and continued from each of said points until completed, when said branch roads shall be constructed, according to the survey and location thereof: Provided further, that the lands hereby granted shall be applied in the construction of said road and branches respectively, in quantities corresponding with the grant for each, and shall be disposed of only as the work progresses and shall be applied to no other purpose whatsoever: And provided further, that any and all lands reserved to the United States by the act entitled "an act to grant a quantity of land to the State of Illinois for the purpose of aiding in opening a canal to connect the waters of the Illinois river with those of Lake Michigan," approved March second, eighteen hundred and twenty-seven be, and the same are hereby, reserved to the United States from the operations of this act.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the sections and parts of sections of land which, by such grant, shall remain to the United States within six miles on each side of said road and branches, shall not be sold for less than double the minimum price of the public lands when sold.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the said lands hereby granted to the said State shall be subject to the disposal of the legislature thereof, for the purposes aforesaid, and no other; and the said railroad and branches shall be and remain a public highway, for the use of the government of the United States free from toll or other charge, upon the transportation of any property or troops of the United States.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That if the said railroad shall not be completed within ten years, the said State of Illinois shall be bound to pay to the United States the amount which may be received upon the sale of any part of said lands by said State, the title to the purchasers under said State remaining valid; and the title to the residue of said lands shall re-invest in the United States, to have and hold in the same manner as if this act had not been passed.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the United States mail shall at all times be transported on said railroad, under the direction of the post office department, at such price as the Congress may by law direct.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That in order to aid in the continuation of said central railroad from the mouth of the Ohio river to the city of Mobile, all the rights, privileges and liabilities, herein before conferred on the State of Illinois, shall be granted the States of Alabama and Mississippi respectively, for the purpose of aiding in the construction of a railroad from said city of Mobile to a point near the mouth of the Ohio river, and that public lands of the United States to the same extent, in proportion to the length of the road, on the same terms, limitations and restrictions, in every respect, shall be, and is hereby, granted to said States of Alabama and Mississippi respectively.

ART. VIII-THE CANNELTON COTTON MILLS.

It is gratifying to observe that every year affords additional evidence to refute the opinion, long entertained by many, that the manufacture of cotton, wool, iron and other necessary commodities, cannot be profitably and permanently established in the southern and western States. It has been urged, as an argument, that owing to the want of capital and skill tn these States they could never compete, successfully, with New England, where both were abundant, and, where manufactures have already been established upon an extensive scale. These were plausable arguments: and, have doubtless tended to retard the commencement of manufacturing in the southern and western States for many years. But since a few sagacious and enterprising individuals have lead the way, and manufactures have gained a footing, men begin to discover new principles in political economy which, as it would seem, had not occurred to them before.

And now it is generally conceded, we believe, by all who have carefully examined the subject, that the surplus products of the southern and western States, constitute a capital, amply sufficient to enable them to enter into successful competition, with any part of the globe, in manufacturing many, if not all the great staple commodities which are required for the comfort and convenience of the human family. Nor has any material inconvenience been experienced, as far as we are informed, in obtaining both skill and labor wherever it has been required. The following extract from the "Economist," shows with how much alacrity the operatives of New England embrace the opportunity of removing to the west.

OPERATIVES FOR THE COTTON MILL.-We are informed by Messrs. Cole and Beebe, who have just arrived here from Providence, R. I., and who come to this place at the instance of Gen. C. T. James, for the purpose of superintending certain operations connected with the cotton mill, that arrangements are already concluded by which the entire corps of operatives necessary to run the mill, consisting of some three hundred and fifty hands or upwards, is secured. The alacrity with which eastern help agree to accept the offers extended to them on the part of the cotton mill company, is evinced by the fact that when it became known among them that their services would! be needed here, there were in a few days, enough applications received for situations to operate three or four such mills as the one in this place. Those operatives who have stipulated to come hither, have been selected with great care; particular reference having been had to character and efficiency. The

agent, or superintendent of the mill, Mr. Cook, is expected here by the 1st of next month.

Here is a practical illustration of the economy for which we have been contending for many years-a transfer of the operatives to the raw material, provisions and bread-stuffs. By this simple and cheap operation, instead of going to distant markets, we bring them home to us, and locate them in our midst, at such points as are found most convenient and beneficial.

The members of the Cannelton Cotton Mill Company, are entitled to the gratitude of the people of the western States, for their efforts in building up a manufacturing city in the valley of the Ohio, and we sincerely hope that they will reap a rich reward for their labors.

ART. IX.-VALUABLE INVENTION.

Letters have recently been issued from the Patent Office at Washington, to Mr. E. G. Pomeoroy, of St. Louis, for an invention by which he professes to coat iron with copper so as to fit it for many useful purposes to which it is not now suited. By Mr. P's process, which is described as simple and cheap, the iron is first immersed in sulphuric acid or some other acid, to remove all impurities from the surface. When dry, it is dipped into clay sufficiently moistened to leave a thin coating on the iron. It is again dried over a brisk fire, and then immersed several times into molten copper. Enough of the copper adheres to the iron, it is said, to cover the surface completely, after which it may be passed through rollers to reduce it to the required thickness, and the result is a smooth surface, fully equal in brightness to pure copper or brass. The coating is perfect, and appears not simply to adhere to the iron, in a thin layer, but to be completely amalgamated with it, so that on hammering it, the coating does not separate, but remains as firm and durable as the iron itself.

The editor of the St. Louis Intelligencer, who has seen some samples of iron coated by this process, speaks of the matter as follows: "If this invention is what it purports to be, and what we believe it is, it will be found useful in an infinite variety of forms; in the sheathing of vessels--the roofing of houses-in steam boilers and chimneys-and a variety of other things. In the single article of spikes and bolts, and other fastenings for ships and vessels, the saving will be enormous. Iron spikes and bolts are much better and stronger than copper. Coated by this process they will resist the action of the salt water.— -Cannelton Economist.

COMMERCIAL STATISTICS.

The following Statistics of the Commerce and Manufactures of Cincinnati, are taken from “a review of the trade, commerce and manufactories of Cincinnati, for the commercial year ending August 31st, 1850."

IMPORTS AT CINCINNATI,

For five years, commencing September 1st, and ending
August 31st, each year.

'45-'46 '46-'47 '47-'48 '48-'49 '49-'50

17502

26992

28674

22109

6445

Beef,

2420

186

659

348

801