The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-22 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS AMERICAN NEWS.

W. P. Atkinson read a paper at the institute of
technology meeting at Boston, to prove that the
national debt, funded at 6 per cent., would be paid
off by 1885, with reduced rates of taxation. He
estimates that the population at that time will be
59,000,000. The average debt per capita will have
decreased from $l5 in 1860 to $8 60 in 1868, and
the computation is based on a continuance of the
same rate.

Mr. Butlees proceedings in the house, when be
flourished Booth's diary before the eyes of the
members, has created some astonishment among
the public. This diary is an ordinary morocco-
covered note-book. It was taken from the breast
of the assassin and came into the hands of the
Judge-Advocate-General Bolt. When received
by that functionary some of the first pages were
missing, and it has never been discovered who was
the spoliator. The most probable surmise is that
they were cut out by Booth himself.
The Rev. Geo. Trask of Fitchbourg has addressed
an elaborately argumentative appeal to Gen. Grant,
in which every variety of argument is used to induce
the general to give up the habit of smoking. "We
address you," says the petitioner, " in relation to
an immense evil ; we pray you to abandon your
cigar in behalf of Young America." Many of the
journals condemn this proceeding as an impertinence,
but the Nation confines its remarks to the argu-
ments use/ " Smoking," it says, " may be a bad
habit, but there is considerable difficulty in making
out a good case against it as regards its effects on
health, and its enemies are- apt to damage their
cause by trying to prove too much. One of the
first authorities in America on diseases of the

nerves approves of it, which shows that even
doctors differ about it ; and well they may,
considering that the civilised world has smoked
hard for two hundred years, and the bills of
mortality have gone on falling all the time.
The example of Turkish lethargy, too, is fairly set
off by the example of Prussian vigour. If there be
tougher brains in the world than those of German
scholars, we do not know where to find them ; and
some of the most enthusiastic of German scholars,
are amongst the most persistent smokers. We are
not arguing now in defence of smoking. We are
simply deprecating the air of mathematical certainty

which too many social reformers seek to throw over
their reasonings on subjects about which demonstra-
tion, or, in fact, anything more than guessing, is
impossible."

TIIE FIRST AMERICAN GOLD MINE.—The first
piece of gold found in the United States is said to have
been found in Cabarrus county, North Carolina, in 1799.
It seems, from the account furnished to Mr. Wheeler by
Col. Burnhardi, that a boy named Conrad Reed went with
his sister and younger brother to a small stream, called
Meadow Creek, on a Sunday, and while engaged along the
banks of the stream shooting fish, he saw a yellow sub-
stance shining in the water, which he picked up and found

bo be metal. His father carried it to Conrad and showed

it to William Atkinson, the silversmith of the village, who
was unable to tell what it was. It was taken home by Mr.
Reed, and being the size of a small smoothing iron, it was
used as a weight against the door to keep it from shutting.
In 1802 he carried it to market at Fa.yettville, where a

jeweller pronounced it to be gold, and melted it, producing
a bar six or eight inches long. It was sold to the jeweller
for $3 50, a "big price," as Mr. Reed thought.
UNITED STATES IMPORTS. —The official return

for the half-year ending the 21st of December,-1866, the
first half of the fiscal year, shows that the imports into the
United States (including specie and bullion) amounted at
declared specie value to $197,965,845 ; and very nearly
this amount was "marketed," the imports entered for ware-
housing being but $6,550,000 more than the imports with-
drawn from warehouse in the half-year. The Customs'
duties received, amounted to about $87,500,000, being 41
per cent. The total imports, in specie value, in the year
ending with June, 1860, amounted to $326,683,097 ; 1861,
$305,004,732 ; 1862, $189,425,112; 1863, $228,652,597 ;
1864, $309,874,330; 1865, $207,4':6,298; 1866, $423,957,036;
first half of 1867, as above, $197,965,815.

A SURVEY ACROSS THE CONTINENT.—Congress
has authorised the beginning of a very important practi-
cally scientific work—no loss than a thorough geogra-
phical, topographical, and geological survey of the great
middle section of our national territory between the Mis-
souri River and the California line. A strip 100 miles
wide, with the 40th parallel and the Pacific Railroad
lino as the centre, and embracing the settled and
most rich mineral parts, of Colorado, Utah,
and Nevada, is to be put under minute scientific
examination, and the results mapped and recorded
for the benefit of all civilisation. The geologist chosen
for this great work, is Mr. Clarence King, a young man
from Newport, Rhode Island, a graduate of Yale College,
and for several years one of the chief assistants in the firld

of Professor Whitney in his impoistant survey of Cali-
fornia.
Mr. J. T. Gardner, another of Professor Whit- '
ney's most valuable and experienced assistants, is to be
associated with him, and a party of eight or ten scientific
persons will be made up for the details of the work, which is
to begin this season on the Sibrra Nevadas in California, and
progress eastward. By experience, learning, and enthusiasm,
Mr. King is eminently well fitted for this enterprise,
whose initiation and successful progress is, and will prove
of immense value to the material interests of all the
region to be explored, and whose revelations of scientific
knowledge concerning the formation and elements, tho
history and the wealth, of the vast basin in the:west centre
of the continent, will be awaited with curious interest by
savans everywhere. The nation at large, the section espe-
cially subject to the exploration, and the young gentlemen
to whom this rare, and most interesting labour is assigned,
are all indeed to be congratulated.
Russian America is inhabited by fifty thousand
fishing, trapping, fur-bearing Esquimaux, and nine or ten
thousand Russians, Russian Americans, and people whom
the gazetteers call Alcoots and Kodiaks. They import a
Food part of their provisions, and export a yearly diminish-
! mg quantity of furs. The country is a frozen wilderness,
better known to arctic explorers and whalers than
to most other men, and probably of no possible value
to any men but them, the semi-civilised tribes
that support existence there, and the Russian sutlers
who trade with them. The territory is rather larger
than eight States like New York would be, its
area being 394,000 square miles. What we want of
it, unless to take a solitude and call it Seward by erecting
it into a Territory, we do not kuow, but we can buy the
privilege of flying the stars and stripes over a colony, and
a worthless colony, by paying $7,000,000 for it. This wo
suppose Congress will not do. There is no good reason
for doing it, and several good reasons for not
doing it. Wo do not want far distant, detached colonies,
nor ice and snow territories, nor Esquimaux fellow-
citizens, nor Mt. Saint Elias, and there is nothing else
to be had from Alaska and Barrow's Point, so far
as we are informed. The Czars intentions, aside
from his design of getting the seven millions in
gold, are doubtful. It may be, that he thinks Now
Archangel not worth the powder and shot he may have to
expend in its defence in case of a new Eastern war. It may
be that he wants to impress Europe with the idea of the
closeness of friendship that must exist between Russia
and a country for whose sake Russia cuts off a
limb. European statesmen, however, will hardly sleep
the worse on account of the APtora of an alliance be-

tween this country and Russia, and the Czar himself pro-
bably knows, that, not to put too fine a point on it,
the people of the United States know little, and care less
about Russia. But with all these considerations we hare
no concern. We are to consider our own interests, say
yes or no to Mr. Seward's chimerical project of saddling
us with a frozen desert of a colony—and we imagine there
will be little difficulty in choosing the right answer.—The
Nation.

The coast of Maine, following the line of all its
indentations, is longer than the Atlantic cable.

Harvard College has lately purchased for $20,000
real estate.which it sold twenty years ago for 63,000.

Mr. Franklin, of Jamaica, calls attention to the
advantages to be secured by prompt action in procuring
the selectiin of that island as a principal telegraphic sta-
tion for the submarine cable proposed to be laid from the
fsthmus of Panama, across the West India islands, to the
peninsula of Florida. It appears that three rival com-
panies are competing for concessions from New Granada

67.. c., and that Jamaica, besides being the negrest and safest
link in the chain, could afford the best port of call for
orders, and most convenient rendezvous for ships and car-
goes waiting those orders.
COMMON SCHOOLS OF NEW YORK.—Mr. Rice, the
State Superintendent of Public Instruction in the State of
New York, reports that in the year 1866 the number of
children over five years of age attendingschool was 938,000,
or about 24 per cent. of the population as enumerated at the
census of 1860. The city schools were kept open 43 weeks
in the year ; the rural schools (the schools for the greater
part of the population) only 30 weeks and 20 days. Mr.
Rice speaks strongly of the large numbers in the State grow-
ing up in ignorance, and suggests "that the time may come
when the State will be obliged, for her own safety, to make
attendance obligatory ; but he does not recommend a resort
to that expedient at the present time. He advises that an
effort should be made to accomplish the object by rendering
the schoolsinore attractive, by better school-houses and fur-
niture, more capable teachers and free schools. In order to
secure better teachers, he recommends the establishment of
more normal schools, of which he thinks there should be at
least one for every thousand teachers required by the State
schools, at least six additional normal schools for the State.
The greatest defect in the school system is declared to be
the rate-bill system, which should be superseded by a Slate
tax. Mr. Rice holds that "the common schools can never
attain their highest degree of usefulness until they shall
have been made entirely free." The whole number of
teachers employed was 26,494, of whoni 5,062 were males
and 21,932 females. The whole expense of maintaining the
schools was $3,330,886 in the cities, and $3,302,040 in the
rural districts, or $6,632,935 for the State. The amount
paid to teachers, $4,558,890, averages only $172 each for the
year; or adding $478,287 as the estimated value of the
board of teachers who "boarded round," $l9O, or about
$l4O specie, a very poor remuneration considering the ex-
tremely high prices of the necessaries of life in the United
States. The fact of four-fifths of the teachers being females
will to some extent account for the low stipends. The
supply is in excess of the demand. The School Board of
Cincinnati report a similar state of things in that city, and
account for it by the fact that woven will teach for less
wages than they can earn by manual labour. The expen-
diture in school building in the State of New York in the
last 10 years has averaged very nearly $700,000 a year, and
yet the superintendent complains that the accommodation
does not not keep pace with the growth of population, and
even in New York city and Brooklyn the school-houses are
insufficient to seat the children who apply for admission.
In rural districts the same deficiency exists to an extent
that a New York journal declares is " discreditalle to the
State." The inferior character of many of the school-
houses, and the absence of any out-house is lamented ; but
the extremely heavy taxation of the past four years is given
as an excuse for deficiencies.

Mr. M'Pherson, the clerk of the House of
Representatives, is writing a life of Thaddeus
Stevens.

The diary of Wilkes Booth will shortly be pub.
lished. The first date in this diary is the day of the
assassination (April 14), and the announcement is
made that the writer had forwarded to the National
Intelligencer a statement of the plot which resulted
in Mr. Lincoln's murder. This document was not
received at the office of that journal.
We learn that Lord Ernest Vane Tempest, who
transferred his services from the cavalry of the British
army to that of the Confederates, is writing a book on the
American War.

Keat's Life by Lord Houghton (Richard Monek-
ton Manes) will shortly be published.
Mr. William B. Smith, recently editor of The
Southern Field and Fireside, of Raleigh, being, as we ale in-
formed by a circular note, impelled by " a combination of
( ircumstances producing events of the kind over which
human efforts seem to wield no ultimate control," has be-
come connected with the publishing house of Messrs. A.
S. Barnes and Co.

Messrs. D. Appleton and Co. have set an admir-
able example to the publishers of the country, by con-
tributing 100,000 volumes to tho movement for Southern
education inaugurated by Mr. Peabody. Messrs. Scribner
and Co., it is said, will do likewise, and others doubtless
will follow.
Mr. Charles E. Norton, editor of The North
American Review, and well known as an accomplished
Dantean scholar, will soon publish a version of the Vita
Nuova.

Mr. Thurlow Weed, in announcing to the readers
of the Commercial Advertiser the fact that that long-estab-
lished and respectable newspaper had passed into his hands,
covered nearly five columns of the issue of March 27 with
a general summary of its past political career and present
political opinions. It is believed that Mr. William Henry
Hurlburt aids Mr. Weed in his now undertaking, with all
his brilliant powers as a journalist. By the change the
world loses the services of this gifted gentleman. During
the period of Mr. Raymond's Congressional duties the, New
York Times was chiefly in charge of Mr. Weed.
H. J. Raymond has been nominated Minister to
Austria.
We learn that the famous Tredegar Ironworks of
Richmond aro shortly to be put in operation by J. R. An-
derson and Co., under a charter from the General Assem-
bly of Virginia.
John Prentiss, the veteran publisher of the
Keene Sentinel, entered upon his 99th year on Thursday,
March 21. He commenced the Sentinel in 1799, when ho
was 21 years old, and until 1851 dictated the contents and
made up the form of his paper. He commenced business
with one $5 bill, and for tho material of his office he gave
three notes, each of which bore the endorsement " Not to
be hued unless there is evident danger of losing it."
Major-General H. W. Benham has been detailed
to the command of Fort Warren, in Boston Harbour.
General Rousseau is said to have done very good
service during the war. We suppose there are plenty of
men who could tell off-hand where it was he distinguished
himself, and just how much glory belongs to him. In all
probability there are official documents, too, that gauge
his merits, and prove him tc be a brave man and a good
enough officer. As to our own knowledge of his record
we confess that it is somewhat vague. But we should
not have been particularly surprised at his nomina-
tion for a brigadiership in the regular army, and
should have maintained the silence becoming the
civilian in regard to it, if last summer Mr. Rousseau
had not—we will not say thrashed Mr. Grinnell
for words spoken in debate, but gone out attended by two
or three friends, while Mr. Grinnell was alone, armed
while Mr. Grinnell was defenceless, and made an assault,
the manner of which disgraced the assailant as the assault
itself disgraced the House of which Rousseau and Grinnell
were members. All this ought to be remembered against
him, and any one of a dozen generals, good as he as mili-
tary men, and not notorious for any piece of mixed
absurdity and ruffianism, might a great deal better have
the office.
An elaborate, and in parts amusing, appeal has
been made to General Grant by the Rev. George Trask, of
Fitchburg, praying him to stop smoking, and using every
variety of argument —physiological, moral, historical, and
religious —against the habit.
The Hon. W. Galt and the Hon. W. Langrom
have returned to Canada, and were well received. A pub-
lic dinner will be given to the former by his constituents
at Sherbrooke.
Thomas C. Patteson, Esq., a barrister, of
Toronto, has been appointed by the Canadian Governmen
a commissioner to the Paris Exhibition. It is believed
that Mr. Patteson will, on his return, publish his notes of
what he sees and hears iu Europe.
It is announced that the Emperor and Empress
of Russia will shortly proceed to Kissingen to drink the
waters, and thence will visit the Paris Exhibition.
Rev. Dr. Z. Barstow of Keene and Rev. William
L. Gaylord of Fitzwilliam are among the members elect
to the next New Hampshire Legislature.
William S. Ring, door-keeper of the New Hamp-
shire House of Representatives, and a prominent citizen
of Northwood, was instantly killed by being caught iu the
shafting of a steam saw-mill.
The Winter Garden will be replaced by a finer and larger
edifice in a better part of the city of New York, under the
management of Mr. Stuart, aided by Mr. Edwin Booth.
Much interest is excited in the building, which will em-
brace every improvement for ventilation, and for exit in
case of fire.—Mr. Pike, of Cincinnati, is about to build an•
Opera House, and Mr. James H. Hackett will erect another
theatre, of which he will take the management. It is said
that the Broadway and Olympic are about to be devoted
to ether purposes, which will leave room for the new
theatres contemplated.
lowa has now 1,145 miles of railroad complete
and in running order, which have cost in construc-
tion $45,480,000. When the roads now under con-
tract are completed, lowa will rank seventh as a
railroad State. In 1850 there were only about
1,200 miles of railway in all the Western States.
lowa has now nearly as many miles of railway as
there were in all the Western States in 1850.
Colonel E. D. Brigham is talked of in Boston
circles as the successor of President Chapin of the

••• ••'''

Western Railroad, when the occasion arises. Col.
Brigham is the successful president of the Metro-
politan Horse Railroad, and having lately resigned
his commission in the regular army has been re-
lieved as chief commissary of the New England
department.
At a meeting of the stockholders of the Boston
and Providence Railroad at Boston the directors
were authorised to enter into arrangements with the
Providence, Warren, and Bristol Railroad for the
establishment of a line of steamers between Boston
and New York by way of Bristol.
The Portland and Kennebec Railroad has made a -
stock dividend of 25 per cent., and promises to fol-
low it with one of cash in July.
The next Legislature will be petitioned for a
charter for a railroad from Manchester to Newburi"
port, Mass., via Exeter.

NOTES ON THE UNIVERSAL EXPO"
TION AT PARIS.

This Great Industrial Exposition is fast being
developed. Every day brings it nearer into shape
In about a mouth visitors may expect to see it fullY
opened ; and then it will, without doubt, be the
krandest and most successful world's exposition
ever held.

'We propose at present to speak of some of the
American productions. The United States are not
as yet largely represented, but what has been sent
is, in the main, of practical importance. Among
the articles that arrest the attention of visitors, and
that we were much interested in, was a cooking
stove, the " Peerless," manufactured by Messrs'
Pratt and Wentworth, of Boston, Massachusetts;
this is a perfect gem. For fine castings, variety Of
furniture, and beauty of finish, we have never seen
it surpassed. It will do anything that can be done
with a range or any other stove. It bakes
splendidly, giving what many stoves fail in alto'
gether, a perfectly even heat. It roasts by a rota*.
spit, and is equal to an open fire, and is so now
structed as to use the heat most economically. it
is unquestionably the best stove for families/
restaurants, and small hotels, now in use. It
attracts great attention from visitors to the DV"
sition, and ladies are charmed with it.

The Perry mower is comparatively a new machine,
but in the short time it has been before the public
it has proved its worth and established its supe-
riority. Mr. Perry evidently has a clear practical
mind, mechanical genius, and executive force to
produce so valuable a machine, and one that readily
challenges the judgment of the man of science and
the practical farmer in its favour. It is attracting
great attention from visitors. Manufacturers of
and dealers in mowing machines regard it with
much interest, and farmers pronounce it the bet
machine on exhibition. We predict for the Perri
mower a successful future.

Walter Baker's 'chocolate, of Boston, Massa'
chusetts, United States, America, is shown by OA
or twelve varieties. We were kindly permitted to
see the different cases opened, and to taste the
quality, and we confess that it has never been our
fortune to see this most wholesome article 0'
domestic luxury so neatly put up, of such fine grate
and luscious taste as this chocolate of Baker's. We
do not think it can be surpassed for quality °r
flavour by any goods of the same class in the Exhi-
bition, if in the world.
THE DOUGLAS PUMPS AND HYDRAULIC RA3l°.
W. and B. Douglas, of Middelton, Connecticel
United States, America, have on exhibition about
forty pumps, of different sizes and styles, adapted to
houses, factories, and garden uses, worked both by
hand and mechanical power.
This firm make much the best display of pumps
in the Exposition, as to number, variety, excel'
lence of workmanship, and perfection ofdesign•
These pumps are placed in the annex of the Awe'
rican department, and call for much praise from
visitors generally, and pump-makers and dealer°
examine them with great care, and speak of thevl
in terms of high commendation.
This is the oldest house of its kind in America'
having been established in 1812.

THE WHALER DIANA.—On Wednesday nigh!,
Mr. Andiew Donald, the carpenter of the whalint"
vessel Diana, arrived in Dundee per train from Aberdeen'
Mr. Donald belongs to Dundee. He is very lame and feels
exceedingly weak. The hardships he has had to endue
in common with the rest of the crew have had their eff°o-
upon him. It is unnecessary that we should recapitulate
the harrowing description we previously presented.
speaks in the highest terms of the fortitude and matif,
courage displayed by the captain, officers, and crew.
one, he says, ever expected to reach Britain, and the Pri`W
tions to which they were subjected were calculated to die
pel even the hallowed associations of home. All the crew
have now left the Diana, and we understand that it is 44-
pected that another captain and crew will be sent to Ler-
wick toitake the vessel to Hull. It was previously eta
that 14 of the crew had died. We understand the nunin''
is 13. All the others are doing well, and it is expect:
that they will all get better speedily. For the attention tusi
suffering crow have received at all hands since their arrival
at Shetland they are unable adequately to express the,
thanks. The kindness bestowed on them they will neler
forget. The Diana, as may be supposed, is in a particv
larly worn-out condition. Her rudder is broken, and 6be
is leaking to a tremendous extent.—Dundee Advertiser.
MR. SEWARD AND THE TELEGRAPIL—The Western
Union Telegraph Company having determined not to Pr
coed with the construction of the Russian American Tele:
graph, in consequence of the success of the Atlantic cap.rie'
thought it right to communicate their decision to Pl'
Seward. In their letter to him they suggested that, if 11,
would make a representation of the case to Russia throng'
tho American Minister at that Court, the Russian Goveril;
ment might be induced to continue its line of telegreP4 at
the Russian possessions of North America; and in tin'
case the American company would extend their line, at 10:
sent terminating at New Westminster, to join the Bussin'a
line in Russian America. The letter therefore conclude
with asking Mr. Seward to give the weight of his OW,
position towards thus accomplishing the work now later'
ruptod. Mr. Seward had to answer this letter just bef°,
,4
he was able to make known the fact that he was in trea"
for the purchase of the Russian possessions in America' ‘,lll
his reply, dated March 28, he writes to the company, 1e
",,
am not one of those who have been disappointed by "
complete and magnificent success of the International .11-';
lantic Telegraph, nor am I one of those who fear that th
United States will enjoy less of its wonderful benefits thant
any other nation. I regard it as tributary to an expansion
our national commerce and ultimately of our political inStro
tutions, both of which I think are important forces in
progress of civilisation. I would net have the Atlantic cab
e
become dumb again even if thereby I could immediatelY%
cure the success of the Inter-Continental Pacific Telegrer
enterprise, Which was committed to your hands. Nelf.
theless, I profess to a profound disappointment in the n'tao
pension of the latter enterprise. I admit that the teas be
which you have assigned for that suspension seem t° Or
irresistible. It is impossible for private individuals
corporate companies to build telegraphs without caPio
and it is equally impossible for individuals or corporation,
to procure capital for telegraphs that do not promiso 5'11,3,
mediate or at least speedy revenues. On the other bend
I abate no jot of my former estimates of the importance
the Inter-Continental Pacific Telegraph. Ido not belie to 1
that the United States and Russia have given their faith o
each other and to the world for the prosecution of t'h
ot
great enterprise in vain. The United States Governtn°o
is enlightened and wise. The Emperor of Russia is libero;
as well as sagacious. Prince Gortschakoff is a pleasantsio
well as a frank correspondent. I will with pleasure In et;
your explanations known to him, and, with the Presideco
leave, I will ask a conference upon the question, Weo
shall be done next.' Accept my thanks for the frank°
and cordiality of your communication."

Births. 10P
Bunn—On the 17th inst., at The Cottage, Worthen, .-'3
the wife of the Rev. Charles Burd, of a son.
~ OA
HUGHES—On the 10th inst., at The Knoll, Aslw,u,,„. c 4
South Devon, the wife of Major-Gen. Victor iftlfgu`-'
a daughter.
~, otlif
LOVE-At 3, Camden Villas, Granville-park, Blitc""-
Mrs. W. M‘.Naughton Love, of a daughter, stillborl3'

Marriages. ete
lartaELsmt—SrlLLEß On the 16th inst , at St. Geinith
Church, Bloomsbury, Herr Wilhelm Har.gelier of fe,•jjett
to Lavinia, second daughter of the late F:11.•
Esq.. of Gray's-inn. syton"
ROXEURGII—INNES—On the 17th inst., tit 17, .o,%aol!ft
terrace, Glasgow, Archibald Roxburgh, Esq., of 9137100
to Katharine, eldest daughter of the late Al'''.
Inner, Esq., of Tain, Ross-shire.

Deaths.
CROWDY.— On the 17th inst., at Newton Abbott, -11,-0001:
iu his 73d year, James ()rowdy, Esq., formerly 00'
Secretary of Newfoundland. t 8'
WADE—On the 18th inst., at Walmer, in his 75th Year,
Rev. Garrod Wade, M.A. Co*
BURGESS —On the 20th inst., at 3, Norfolk-terrace, ,011.
harbour-lane, Alexander Innes Burgess, in the
of his age

___--
London: Printed and. Published by WILLLk3I AN „,n, IP,
of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office, ;, 0
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the o°4ll
Middlesex.—Monday, April 22,186 T,