The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-09-13
THE VALUE OF OUR ACQUISITIONS
IN CALIFORNIA.

UttPranco y
where gaining ground, that the acquisition OF
this vast territory has brought to our national
resources immense inherent values, in addition
TO the political mportance of possessing the so.
vereign,y Of the Country. 1t is no extravaganza
10 predict that. very shortly, the common con
sent of the American people will accord to ihr
administration. whose policy has added that rlch
proyince to our do main, all the ecat that ne
longs to the brilliant administration OF Jeher
son. the distinguished feature OF when Is the
acquisition Of Louisiana.
The existence of extensive quicksilver mines
in Alta California has long been KNOWN ana
. has been noted by all scientific travellers who
have visited that country, and wh" have heen
car.G,l 10 observe its resources. The tact "t
m. existence OF such mine, and the know
l.dpa Of its localitv. attracted The attention of
British merchant, who had acquired heavy
fortune on the western coast of Mexico; and
he took advantage Of an appointment which he
obtained of his Rriranic Majesty'S vice consul
tor Ca,ifnrna, sn''e time before the commence
mpnt of IN. American war. to explore and sp
cure possession of branch at tn" thine. Hr
has devoted almost exclusively his time and re-
sources. since. t" the establishment ut works
for extracting the metal. and has been the first
practical producer of carg" of it in m"rchan'
table t,rm for The market opened for it at Ma
za,lan. We are told that IN April last he l"a'
dsd a valuable cargo of it for schooner. which
he despatched from Monterey for the Gulf
The whole remaining tract Of territory. en-
bracin. about eleven hundred acres, on which
the mineral is found. has now come into the pos.
session of company, consisting principally OF
American g"ntlemrn, as they are reported I" US,
of great responsibility. by titles derived through
a regular chain from the ori ginal grants "f the
government of old Spain The evidences OF
the authenticity of the original grant. and ot
the regular descent Of title, att sted by the
alcaldes of the departments in which the terri.
tory lies, and by Col. Mason, the governor of
California. The extent and abundance of the
mercurial ore is certified to by gentlemen whose
reputation, we'll known in the Atlantic States.
entities their statements to unquastionlng con.
fidence. The company has been organized un.
der the existing authorities OF California, and is
styled 1.-THE SANTA CLARA MINING COMPANY.
The mineral region is situated within thr-
teen miles of the Francisco hay. and within
six miles of the road or ,horonghfare leading
from Monterey to the city of San Francisco.
The approach to the mines that have been "pe'
ned by this American company, ny gradual
ascent over grounds afording the greatest Ia.
ciIities for the construction of carriage road
The whole tract is well watered, and those parts
of the land embraced in the possessions "t the
company, which are not covered and filled with
the mineral ore. afford every attraction for ag-
ricul,ural operations. The experiments that
have been made to prove the richness OF the
oae have been performed with the rudest aPpa-
ratus, and have consisted in nothing more than
beating the ore into small fragments, and f"rcing
them into the chamber Of a common nn<ket
barrel, inserting the muzzle in vessel of wa
ter, andapplying heat to the chamber. Yet
by this rude process, the ore, as it is promiscn'
ousy gathered, has been found to yield from %
to 40 par cent. of pure mercury.
Mr.. E0rbes. with apparatus scarce superior
tofhat ahore described, produced about 300 lbs.
per day..
The ore is found on the surface of the ground,
and, by excavations that have been made, 10 the
depth Of 25 to 80 feet. No termination to i's
lep.t, has heen found. The range OF the mine,
as indicated by appearances Of the ore upon the
surface Of the soil. is more than three miles
long and about eight hundred yards wide. 1t is
estimated, therefore, by those who are acqnain-
ted with its productions, to be among the richest
and most extensives mines of quicksilver that
have yet been discovered in any part of the
world, If not the richest and most extensive of
any.
The propriptors ere practical men, and have
sent one Of their number. John q. Christie,
Esq, as their agent. to this part of the country
for a practical operation of the mine.
The enterprise has already excited a strong in
terest in the minds of some European financial
agents in this Country. Bnt there can be scarce
doubt that American capitalists will appreciate
the Importance of possessing such an engine "t
power which this mine will inevitably prove to
he in American hands. The Rohchilds, il is
we'll known, have enjoyed. I" a pe"dig'o''s profit,
the control Of the quicksilver Of the mines of
Spain for MANY years, having held the product
Of those mines in guarantee for the immense
loans which they have made to the Spanish 60
vernmPnt.
The demands created for the article by its
use in all the mining operations in Mexico and
South America may hereafter hr supplied from
this country, and the effects upon the interest of
the prnducers of the precious metals through
ont the world. felt from the monopoy of the
Rothchilds. may be ohviaied. The products of
these mines in California seem, therefore, to
promise not only an incaculahlr augmentation
of national wealth, bu, also to afford to this
country a mighty instrument OF national power.
Such, al l"ast. is one portion of the treasures
Of Californian the very face, too, of Mr..
Wehster's public and solemn declaration, that
our new acquisitions were scarcely worth dol
lar. And still more these developemen,s are
now making in the very teeth Of the declara
tions of Duer and Caleb B. Smith. without
single remonsirance or protest from the sur.
rounding wings Of the House of Representa-
tjves that il is hest for us TO retrocede all these
L H., IL.