The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-21 00:00:00

CO AL 'IN RUSSIA

_~..___

TO THE EDIT. It OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—Perceiving in the Times of this day an extract
from the Moniteur, in which it is asserted, on the autho-
rity of a letter from Leipsic, that I " had not hesitated to
declare that the discovery of a cod mine in Russia was im-
possible," I hasten to contradict this very erroneous state-
ment, and to
:explain, with your permission, my views on
this subject.
In 1810-1, after my first journey in Russia, I pointed
out the simple but important fact, that throughout the
Baltic provinces and extensive northern tracts the for-
mations which were at or near the surface were of remoter
antiquity than the great coal-beating strata, and that, not
containing any tracos of fossil vegetobles out of which coal
could have been produced, it was quite impossible to obtain
the mineral by sinking shafts in that region. At the
same time, assisted by my French colleague, M. de Ver-
neuil, and aided by the Imperial mining engineers, Colo-
nel. Heltnersen and Count Keyserling, I indicated the po-
sition and nature of two or three 'thin seams of ill-con-
solidated impure coal 'which are visitde, at intervals, in
the lowest member of the carboniferous rocks, both
in the Valtlai Hills and near Tula and Kaluga. A
sectional view of one of these examples, as occurring
in the' Valtiai' Hills, about 125 verts to the south
of St. Petersburg, which was given in the large
work of my colleagues and eel, and has recently been re-
produced in my work entitled Situria (page 323), is, I sus-
pect, the "coal mine" spoken of as having been lately dis-
covered near the capital--though its existence has long
been a matter of notoriety.
Tracing these slightly carbonaceous strata to the great
Lake Onega, my companions and myself indicated how
such strata there thinned out into mere bituminous shale,
and how all traces of them:disappeared before we reached
the banks of the great river Dwiva and the shores of the
White Sea 'near Archangel. But even then I adverted to
a productive coalfield in the country to the north of the'
Sea of A zuf, or :about soa verbs to the south of Moscow.
Researches pursue:l in 'subsequent pjars (1341. to 1841 in-
clusive) confirmed my views anti extended my inference
respecting the absence of any coal worthy of national atten-
tion over other regiuns larger than France and the British
Isles united, whether as subtending the Ural Mountains or
in the territories of Orenburg, Kazin, and Astracan. This
opinion was unreservedly expressed at the titian to the Im-
perial Government, and, on my return home, to my asso-
ciates in science. The southern coalfield, however, or that
which is watered by theßiverDonetz, veasagain specially ex-
cepted, and a description of its peculiar phenomena and the
disturbed condition of its strata, the result of a per-
sonal survey with M. de Verneuil, was given in the work
entitled "Russia and the Ural Mountains." accompanied
by some speculations of my own on the ulterior prospects
of that mineral tract. • The statist anti miner who wish to
obtain accurate detailed know!edge respecting this coal-
field, most of the beds of which are anthracitic, must con-
sult an excellent memoir thereon by my friend M. Le
Play, an eminent French mining engineer, who explored
that portion of the south of Russia for M. Anatole Demialoff.
In conclusion, I may be permitted to state, that
during my journeys in Russia I invariably met with
the kindest reception and truest hospitality among all
classes of the inhabitants, with whom the name of English-
man way, indeed, everywhere a passport; while the Em-
peror was pleased to confer honours for the gratuitous
services of an English anti a French geologist, who, in
se-arching after truth, were bound to announce facts which
could not have been palatable, respecting the absence of
coal in such large portions of the empire. -I remain, Sir,
your very obedient servant,
• RODERICK I. MURCHISON.
Lichfield-iniuse, Richmond, July'ls.

DEATH OP CASIMIR COUVT BATTIIYANY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

BIR,—It has pleased Providence to visit the Hunga-
rian emigration, nay, the whole Hungarian nation, with
a most severe loss, and to cast the deepest mourning
upon them—one of their mot distinguished members,
Casimir Count Batthyany, died unexpectedly and sud-
denly at Paris, on the 12th inst., in the 46th year of
his age.

CaLimir Count Batthyany, Hereditary Lord of N -
meth Ujvar, was a scion of that most illustrious_aud
noble Hungarian, which, centuries, nay, during
the entire existence of Hungary, has given at all times
and ages the most distinguished men for its_ clergy, for
the senate, and the field. ' The deceased was Hereditary
Lord Lieutenant of the'..county of Vas, in Huilgary
(perpetuus ac suprensus comes conzitatus de castro f er, eo ).
'He was also heir presumptive to the princely titles and
estates of the same name.

. .
It is not my intention to give an account of his p ist
life- -that was far too -rich in act; and noble sacrifices
to be compressed within the limits of a few lines. As
an individual he was conspicuous, not only by his hand.
Some and Manly figure, but also by his high and noble
qualities, and not even his adversaries could withhold-
their admiration for one so noble in feelings, so brave
in action, so rich in ideas, and who enjoyed a well-
deserved European reputittiou for his varied accomp-
lishments,- -

His participation in the Hungarian war for liberty
deserves universal acknowledgment, and the more so
because it was free from all ambition, from all selfish-
ness. He desired rather to be useful than to shine,
for he participated in the struggle with all the
vigour of his mind, with all the devotion of his
noble heart ; and though his political creed differed
from that of several of the leaders, still, seeing the in-
dependence—the constitution—of his beloved country
endangered, he never did hesitate to take the most de-
cided part, both its. a soldier in the field and as a states-
man and minister in the senate. •
For the welfare of his country he neither spared,::,
his life nor his fortune : his estates confiscated by Aus,
tria amounted from 18,000,000 to 20,000,000 .of francs.
He might have saved a great part of his patrimony,
but he did not do so, perhaps in order that his sacrifice
might be complete. He might not have acted in this
instance in the wisest way, as far as his country,
himself, and his family were concerned, but it is the
privilege of noble and great characters not to shrink
from the consequences ofgreat events. He died poor and
an exile, and reposes now not only far from his beloved
country on a foreign soil, but even in the grave of a
foreign family. Ere this his departed spirit will have
met with the blood-stained shade of his noble relative,
the late Count Lewis Batthyany, and both these greatest
and noblest martyrs of Hungary, the victims of Austrian
vengeance and perseCution; look on their bereaved coun-
try, and call upon its faithful children to imitate their
heroic deVoteduess in life as well as in death.
The generous spirit of Count Casimir is departed, but
his name will be imperishable in the history of his coun-
try—his memory cherished by every Hungarian through
all ages and times. His noble example will prevail upon
and incite them in all their strangles, in ail their suffer-
ings, for the welfare of their beloved country. Peace
be with him
July 18, 1854. C. SZUBO.

FORGERY IN PARAGUAY.--The first case of counter-
feiting the government paper was discovered not long.
since. You must know that great numbers of country
people, especially women, cannot read, and their only
method of knowing the value of a bill is by the vignette,
which for a sixpence is a horse, for a shilling a dove, for
two shillings a cock ; for four shillings a sheep, for a dol-
lar a fist, and soon, each bill having some familiar figure
to denote its value. The counterfeiter 'imitated the
genuine bill with a pen and ink, and the receivers see-
ing the vignette all right, never suspect the fraud.
Thus some 200 dots. worth of trash was imposed
upon the public. of course, as soon as the bills
reached the capital, in the course of trade, they
were detected, and a great number of arrests being
made the roguery was ,traced up from one to another,
unt►l the author was caught. He made a full confession,
and was sentenced to receive one huniled lashes, and to
serve 20 years in chains. The first part of the sentence
was inficted in public, and with such ttoici.6m did the
culprit suffer that one would have supposed he was the
most unconcerned" person on the ground. The punish-
ment was witnessed with much gusto by a large crowd,
wbo were particularly incensed against him for the
fraud he had practised.—Correspondent of New York
Inquirer.

THE STATUE OF EBENEZER ELLIOTT.—The Sheffield
Independent says :—The long-expected statue of our
late townsman has now arrived in Sheffield, arid the
sculptor, Mr. Burnand, is also here to superintend its
erection. It is proposed that it shall be put up teinpo-
rari:y in some conven;ent place fur private view.:
HAY HARVEST IN DEVONSHIRE.—The hay harvest has
hitherto progressed slowly in consequence of the un-
favourable weather which has prevailed. A few fine
days would be very acceptable to the fanners, and alle-
viate any anxiety which is felt for the safetyof the crops.
The corn in this neighbourhood is good, and the potato
fields still appear healthy.—Plymouth Mail. •
RELICS.OF THE BOUNTY.—Orie of the most remarkable
collections of-relics in connection with the well-known
event which has now for upwards of 60 years been mat-
ter of past history—" The Mutiny of the Bounty"—was
exhibited at the Scheel-room of St. B ichabas, Kensing-
ton, -a few days. ago, on the occasion of the quartnrly
meeting of a• district association of the Society for the
Propagation of the Gospel. The:incumbent had selected
as the subject of the evening Pitcairn's Island, arid hail
requested the Rev, T. B. Murray; of the Christian Know-
ledge Society, to take the principal part. His speech was
full of interest,• and gave- a most animated account. of
the meeting, the fate of the mutineers, the heroic boat-
voyage of Lieut. Bligh, and the settlement of that little
island, on which, many years afterwards, John Adams,
the sole survivor of the mutineers, was discovered, no
longer as the brutal ringleader of• a gang of ruffians,
but the peaceful patriarch of a Christian race. By
the kindness of the Misses Bligh, who were present,
the assembled Company had the opporunity of seeing
the gourd from which the unfortunate Bligh took.
during his boat-voyage, "his • miserable allowance ;"
the quarter of a pint harn-cup, in which he dispensed
the water; and the bullet with which he weighed the
morsels of bread to his companions in suffering ; the
manuscript-book in which he recorded the events of
each painful day ; and the gold medal with which he was
rewarded by the Society of Arts for his services in
transplanting the bread fruit. Besides these, Mrs.
Heywood, the widow of the late Captain Heywood, had
kindly lent the precious Prayer-book with which her
husband, then a boy, swam out of the wreck of the Pan-
dora, preserving it between his teeth, when he could
save nothing else. Mr. Murray exhibited also a large
sheet of Tappa. cloth, manufactured by the Pitcairners.
Dr. Francis Hessey, the incumbent, had enlisted the
services of several ladies and gentlemen of his congrega-
tion in the cause, and was by their assistance enabled to
illustrate the subject by a series of beautiful drawings
and a large map, so that the whole subjeot was tho-
roughly brought borne to the eyes as well as the ears of
the assembled company.
Dumpalis..—At it meeting of the Highland Society
last week, a very sati--fictory account of the prigress of
the experiinent now making to collect agricultural sta-
Aisticsi was given. The preliminary arrangements so
fully described here by Mr. H. Maxwell have been car-
ried out for two-thirds of the country, anil he has met
with cordial and efficient assistance from the great body
of Scottish,farmera.—Pumfria Courier,

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