though many persons are of a very opposite opinion. They contemplate with fear the future line from Genoa to Milan. They think the future commercial and maritime activity on the western coast of Italy, will centre itself at Genoa, when will commence an epoch of ruin for Livorno. To ward off this danger, they suggest a railway to pass through La Via di Pontremoli to Parma, and then to join the Venetian-Milanese line. The difficulties in the way of executing this line, were such as to compel its abandonment. But the idea of preserving Livorno safe from the damage accruing from a direct communication with the Lombardo-Venetian line, has suggested the continuation of the line from Lucca to Pescia and Pitoja, to issue in the plains of Lombarby. This project has received the sanction of the duke of Lucca. Thus, starting from Venice, it will pass by Modena and Lucca to Livorno. This railway will not, however, terminate at Livorno, but will be continued to Rome, across the Tuscan Maremma. These are the two distinct projects; the one, of Signor Landucci, seeking to unite Tuscany with Central Italy, the other, of Signor Castinelli, wishing union with Upper Italy, and principally with the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom.

The great and leading fact is the progressive yet rapid development of the spirit of enterprise and speculation. The capital which formerly lay idle and unproductive, has become actively employed, working out those changes which will place the grand duchy among great commercial and maritime countries. The disposition to engage in commercial undertakings, has been quickened by the hope of large gains, and though occasionally depressed by large losses, will, nevertheless, produce a robust and lasting progress.

Art. II.-MINERAL REGION AND RESOURCES OF MISSOURI.

THE Ozark or Black Mountains, as they are called, in Arkansas and Missouri, is a branch of the Rocky Mountains, which separates from the main chain in about latitude 38° Ñ., and trends gradually eastward, until it reaches the Rio Grande del Norte, in latitude 30°, when it turns almost at right angles, and takes a northeastwardly direction, passing up through Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri, and terminates at the Missouri river, about seventy-five miles above its mouth. The western range north of the Rio Grande, still retains the name of the principal or parent chain, Rocky Mountains, whilst the eastern range assumes the name of the Ozark or Black Mountains. North of the Missouri, the chain can be traced, not so much by its peaks and altitude, as by its mineral character. This is a very important geological fact, well worthy the attention of the scientific; for if ever a rational theory is adopted as to the origin of mountains or mineral veins, it must be consistent with a fact so imposing. The Ozark Mountains are nowhere very high or rugged, and would be worthy of little attention, were it not for the immense deposits of valuable metallic ores which are developed along its course. We know but little of the mineral resources abounding in this chain in Texas and Arkansas. But in Missouri, near the termination of the mountain proper, in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Western Michigan, the most wonderful developments of mineral veins occur. The great increase of lead thrown into the market from this range, has reduced the price of that article nearly or quite

one-half. That is the only mineral which has been, hitherto, worked to any great extent. Recently, copper has attracted the attention of miners, and tin, silver, nickel, and cobalt, are now claiming their share in the public interest.

Lead was discovered in Missouri as early as 1715, and has been worked from time to time, ever since. But it is within the last ten or twelve years, that copper, and other rare and valuable minerals, were supposed to exist there.

The geology of this country is exceedingly interesting; peculiarly so, because groups of periods, very remote from each other, from the granite up to the oolite, are found within a small scope of territory. Along the course of the Mississippi, from St. Louis to the mouth of the Ohio, the prevailing rock which crops out, is the limestone. At Commerce, and Cape Girardeau, and for some miles further up, this rock is of the older silurian series, containing but few organic remains. A few orthoceræ are all I have seen or heard of. Here the rock is a compact, semi-crystalline, pure limestone, well adapted for architectural purposes, and making good lime. It inclines to the north. But, as you approach St. Mary's Landing, seventy-five miles below St. Louis, the upper Silurian lime-rock, abounding in fossil remains, crops out, with an inclination to the north or northeast, at an angle of near 30°. In this rock, I have seen, as yet, but few testacea; Crinoidea prevail, with an occasional Cyathophillum. A few miles in the direction of the inclination in Illinois, you come to the coal formation on the Kaskaskia. And at St. Geneveive, six miles to the northwest, the oolite is found, a fine specimen of which I have under my eye at this moment. Going south from St. Mary's, a coarse-grained sand rock crops out, which has a dip conformable to the lime-rock overlying it. This is found about one mile from the river. Its thickness I have had no means of ascertaining. but would compute at several hundred feet. Again the lime-rock re-appears, presenting a very interesting appearance and effect, over a very great extent of country. From St. Louis, more than a hundred miles down the river, the surface of the country is broken by a series of pits or sink-holes, of various dimensions, from one to one hundred rods, or more, in diameter, and from twenty to one hundred and fifty feet in depth. Some of these are so recent that the fresh broken earth is still apparent, probably but a few months old; whilst others are more ancient than the forests which now cover the country, the largest trees of which frequently occupy the slope which descends into them. In some instances, the gaping rocks show the mouths of huge caverns, several of which have been explored. The Saltpetre cave, on the Saline river, has been traversed nearly three hundred yards. I have noticed, in two or three instances, small streams, with deep ravines, a mile or more in length, terminating in these pits. Evidently this stratum of lime-rock is cavernous, and these sink-holes have been formed by the crumbling away of the friable earth overlying them, until an opening was formed up to the surface, when the abrasion of the sides, from atmospheric and meteoric action, proceeded more rapidly. It is possible that a continuous cavern, from the Missouri, extending one hundred and twenty miles to the southeast, once existed, the subterraneous chambers communicating with each other throughout the whole extent, now filled, or partly filled, with the ditritus from above In this stratum I have seen or heard of no organic remains. Next to this, we come to a hard, seamy, silico-calcareous rock, of no common inclina

The

tion. I have seen it dipping in every direction. Overlying it on the sum. mits of the hills, are, nearest the river, a hard chertz, silicious rock, and fragmentary quartz, agate, jasper, and chalcedonis. The quartz, at first, is seldom crystallized; but farther from the river, they are beautifully crystallized, mamillary, and generally cavernous. In the spurs of the mountain, the high hills are, almost universally, covered with this form of silicious rock. Some twenty-five or thirty miles from the river, on this road, the granite and trap-rock begin to appear. Some of the richest lead mines are found several miles before you reach the region of igneous rock. The silico-calcareous rock is the only one in which metallic ore, in any quantity, has as yet been found. Perry's and Valle's mines are among the most productive in lead, and I have seen no granite or igneous rock within ten miles of them. Mine a-la-Motte, however, is surrounded with hills of trappean rock, and coarse-grained sandstone, and its abundance and variety of metallic ores make it one of the most valuable mineral localities in Missouri. It has been principally worked, until recently, for lead; but within a few years, copper, cobalt, and nickel, have been the objects of keen pursuit. Some portions of this mine are very rich in the two latter minerals. The difficulty of separating these minerals, however, is a great objection to them. The lead, in the form of carbonates or sulphurets, is the only mineral that comes pure, or uncombined with other minerals. The copper is combined with iron, lead, and frequently manganese. cobalt and nickel are usually associated, and if copper and lead be not present, iron and manganese generally take their place. All these minerals are generally pyritous, but oxides and carbonates are frequently found. At this mine there are some six or eight lead furnaces, and two copper furnaces. The mining here is almost exclusively at the surface. Only one shaft has been sunk to the depth of sixty feet, but, from the want of suitable apparatus to clear it of water, it was abandoned, though very rich in lead. In the mining portion of the Mine a-la-Motte tract, the surface is everywhere broken, and, in some places, the rock and earth are removed by carts to a distance, and piled up. After the pursuit of cobalt became an object, the greater part of this earth was removed and handled over, to find that which had been thrown away as rubbish. I have not sufficient material to determine the mineral statistics of this tract. The lead, however, is the most important, and would not exceed four hundred tons per annum. Copper has done but little. The whole produce up to this time, of pig copper, is less than twenty tons. An apparatus for the preparation of cobalt oxide has recently been fitted up, and a few thousand pounds will, ere long, be ready for the market. From the present developments of this mineral, we may estimate that this tract may produce from three thousand to five thousand pounds of cobalt oxide, per annum. Nickel has not yet been extracted in any form.

The whole country to the north and northwest of Mine a-la-Motte, is interspersed with lead mines, such as Potosi, where calamine is found with lead; Mine a-Burton, lead with blende and calamine; the Merrimac mines, Hazel Run mines, the Mammoth mines, and Turply's mines, with many others.

South and west of Mine a-la-Motte, no lead is worked. To the west lie the immense deposits of iron at the Pilot Knob and the Iron Mountain. A furnace is now being erected for the working of the ore at the latter place, and the company expect to have their works in operation about the

first of June. This region is very rough and broken; long ranges of hills, composed of granite, porphyry, and every variety of trap-rock, extend across the country, with intervals of rich valleys, occasionally, between them, and near the water-courses. About ten miles, a little to the south of west of Mine a-la-Motte, is a long ridge of quartz rock, of rather a flinty structure. In this rock, the ferruginous oxide of tungsten is found, with tungstate of lead, which, on analysis, is said to be rich in silver, with a trace of tin. This tract has been purchased by a company, but not yet worked.

To the south, much the largest quantities of copper are found. The Buckeye mine, about five miles distant, is a remarkably strong lode of rich copper ore. A shaft has been sunk here to the depth of nearly a hundred feet, disclosing a rake vein of an average of eight feet wide, abounding in ores, chiefly pyritous, varying in richness from 20 to 70 per cent of metallic copper. Fully three-fourths of the ore taken from this mine, yields more than 34 per cent. The ore here seems to be deposited in a cavity or space between two rocks that stand apart. In the upper part of the lode, rich carbonates of copper were taken out, and some exceedingly fine specimens of native copper. The latter is found in small grains, imbedded in a lime-rock. Black and red oxides, and variegated copper ore, and beautiful crystals of green malachites, are also found here. This mine affords very great facilities for working. The ores, generally, appear to be a cement, uniting angular fragments of lime-rock, forming a breccia ; consequently, a large portion of the ore can be removed from its bed by pick-axes alone. So easily is the mining performed, that, when the proprietors have provided a steam-engine for pumping and lifting, each man in the mine may exceed an average of half a ton of ore per day. Thirty hands can now economically work in the shaft, and can deliver at the surface what will make at least fifteen tons of clean ore in a day of twentyfour hours, worth, as it comes up, seventy-five dollars per ton, or for the day, $1,175.

The geological position of this mine is very favorable for a large deposit of mineral. The trap crops out a short distance from the mine, at the north, whilst another range of the same rock passes beyond the valley on the south; whilst the hills at the north and east abound in cavernous and mamillary quartz, denoting the action of powerful mineralizing agents. I think it probable that the main or principal lode of this deposit has not yet been struck, but remains to be developed. Indeed, many circumstances induce the opinion that another lead of mineral passes parallel to the one now worked. In cutting away the rock for the cistern, some twelve feet beyond the shaft, some mineral was found in the rock, similar to that in the shaft and lode explored. Should this opinion be found correct, this will prove one of the most extensive and rich copper deposits known.

In sinking the shaft, a very rich vein of cobalt, unconnected with any other metal, was passed; but it has not been pursued, and, consequently, the extent and dimensions of the vein are unknown. When the miners come to work in that part of the rock, this vein will be further explored.

Within five or six miles to the south and east of this mine, some half a dozen other veins of copper have been discovered, and the land purchased in consequence of the discovery. But no one of these veins has been explored to any extent. Several tracts have been purchased on account of

cobalt discovered at the surface, but no one has been sufficiently explored to estimate their importance.

The geological position of the metaliferous rock of this country, is properly of the Cambrian series; being the oldest of sedimentary formations. The present position of the granite, trap, and porphyry, was, probably, assumed prior to the superimposed sedimentary deposit. A careful exami nation of the country has discovered no clear evidence of the igneous rock overlying the lime or sandstone. Yet the two latter rocks alternate with each other, but the metaliferous lime-rock is, probably, the lowest, and rests upon the trappean.

I entertain no doubt but that this country, when fully explored, and its mineral resources developed, will prove to be one of the richest mineral regions upon the globe. Much remains to be learned, as yet, respecting the laws of mineral formation. Baron Humboldt remarks that gold is generally found on the eastern side of mountain ranges. May not this generalization be extended to other mineral deposits? On our own continent, such is the case, at least, to general extent. The rich mines of Kremnitz and Shemnitz in Hungary, are the eastern side of the Carpathian range. The Russian mines of the Oural mountains are on the Asiatic side. The rich mines of Hindostan are on the east side of the Ghauts. And in Scandinavia, the mines are on the oriental slope of the Norwegian mountains; so, also, in the Hartz. Facts may be multiplied to support this hypothesis.

In connection with this subject, there is another fact in cosmography that I have not seen noticed by any writer on cosmogony. That is, that all the first-rate rivers of the earth have an eastwardly direction, and disembogue their waters on the eastern side of their respective continents. That their direction is always given by the mountain range in which they take their rise; and it is not a little remarkable that these ranges are on the western sides of the continents. In our own continent, the great riv ers, St. Lawrence, Mississippi, (or Missouri, which is the chief stream,) the Rio Grande del Norte, the Orinoco, the Amazon, and the Rio de la Platte, all take their rise in the mountain range near the western side of the continent, and flow eastwardly. In Europe, the Danube, the Dnieper, the Don and the Volga, its largest rivers, have the same course. In Asia, the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Indus, the Ganges, the Burampooter, the Siam, the Ho-ang-ho, the Segalien and Ki-ang-ku, disembogue on the eastern side. The chief river of Africa, the Niger, flows eastwardly a great part of its course, but turns to the west, and finds an estuary in the Atlantic. And the Macquarrie, the largest river of Australia, flows to the east. Here, then, is a fact. Rivers were formed subsequent to the formation of dry land, and for the grand purpose of draining off the meteoric water from the surface; for all the waters of our inland lakes and rivers are of pluviatile origin, or, in plain English, collections of rain water. It is no more probable that the rivers were formed instantaneously, from source to mouth, than that the continents, with their several formations, as at present existing, came into being at once. All geologists agree that the latter were formed by slow and gradual accretions.

Admit, then, that what we call the primitive systems were first elevated above the surface of the seas, at the time when the "earth was without form and void." The western continent then presented two granitic