New-York daily tribune., 1843-04-29

BARON HUMBoLDT'S WORK ON CENTRAL ASIA.
The European Correspondent of the National
Intelligencer gives the following Sketch OF the
Contents of Baron A. De Humboldt's new and
important Work on Central Asia:
Baron A. De Humboldt left us in the begin
ming of the month, having carried through the
prass his new work Oh Central Asia, with all the
oriental lights of the institute. His three robust
octavos were in my hands for several days lmmo-
dmtcly on their appearance. The dedication is
to tho Emperor of Russia, for the liberal and en-
lightened protection granted 10 all the Baron's
Eastern journeys. The introduction is OF hty-
eight highly interesting pages. In the body OF
the work are tho results of his comprehensive stu
dies on the regions of which he treats and hls m
quiries INTO the present state and degree OF our
knowledge theroupon. He indicates great def
cienccs IN this respect. and material errors; he
traces the various influences which the conigura-
ton and diversified surface of the vast continent
of ASIA have exered on the history and dcstlmcs
OF mankind he desi gnatcS It's principal, pcrma
mont. indestructible features. But small portion
of it has vet been actually examined The COM
mon use Of the phrases Central Asia, upper ASIA
is vague and incorrect what has been thus called
is distinct in rcahty--ar from the central which
Humboldt cndcavors TO fix by contiguration and
roth, whose books of travels and scientific me
moirs arc known in the United States His two
first volumes consist mainly of considerations on
The directions of the chains OF mountains and
their distinctive geological features. The
third embraces his researches INTO Aslatlc clnat-
oocv and terrestrial magnetism. He exhibits the
anaiorics and the contrasts with Aslauc orc
praphU of the cordllcraS OF the new continent,
and the alpine portion OF Europe which he deems
but Il pcninsulur extension (prolonScmeht OF
Asia. He discusses incidentally large variety
of subjects within the domains of the physical
and historical geography of the globe. We have
meteorological and chmatologlcal tables /; magnet
&c and Astronomical observations over vast extent
of space: and much comparative geology
There arc striking official statements of the me-
,alhc riches OF the Oura cham, and what he calls
the auriferous Siberian region raverslng all ASIA
The present crop of washed gold is nearly thirty
two thousand pounds weight; very considerable
increase within a few years; masses OF gold are
found near the surface, some not less than seventy
Two pounds each IN weight The value OF the
washed gold obtained from lS2I TO lSil was three
hundred and twelve millions OF francs, from the
alluvions of the OGral and Siberia. There are IN
tereSting and instructive supplements to The So
cond and third volumes; III The second, 4 dlSser
tation of kIArSoTn on thevocanotS Of Japan and
she Chinese ArteSian wells of incredible depth
The additions and corrections OF SrANlSlAus Ju-
LIEN the first of SinolOgueS, possess peculiar value
A tribute is paid 10 Charles Sttcr's work on ASIA.
with reference to historical geography, OF which
many problems are there solved. HuMsoLpr pro-
nounces il TO be one OF the greatest and nohieSt
monuments raised III our tune to science; and he
cuiorizes IN the same way Rtter's" Studies OF the
Earth IN its relations with Nature and the Hlsto-
~ of Man" He describes LErRoNSg, OF Paris,
as the erudite and Spiritael hellenlst, who en-
braces the whole yast field of antiquity, with a
like superiority or elevation OF views" In his IN
PRODUCTION. he remarks, l regret that could not
employ. for nv comparisons OF Aaatc chmaiol
ory with the American. the Judlclous researches
OF Mr.. SAMUEL FoRRY, IN hIs book entitled Oh
mate of the United States andltS Influences, nc
The map of Mr.. FoRRr EXHIBITS for the FIRST time,
the isotheym and iSachimsReS curves between
the Coast of the South Sea and the Atlantic.
The American author has carefully discussed the
differences of the climates 10 the t.aS. ana est
of the !Nueghanies and those the local influence
oi the clearing OF forests and progress OF nlaSs,
on the mean temperatures, whether throughout
the wear or IN the winters and summers. 1T
Forry's volume reached the Baron too late. he
Baron's emphatic notice OF the Importance OF the
documents derived from Chinese literature forms
the most remarkable part OF the Introduction
Humbold, speaks of the surprising riches OF that
literature in the departments OF Asiat,c geography
and history, which were explored chiefly Tor bis
use bv S;aniaus Julien: he dwels on the value OF