The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-04-01

tons Of coal per aDuum me scarcity VI wooc -
California will bring coal into general use - fuel,
M soon as il can be obtained at reasonable prices.
suppose there may be, three years hence, forty
Thousand houses, which shall consume hive tons
zach per annum. ihis, win tne sTamrIs, woolo
II delivered at go per ton, IL would compete sue
cessfuIIy with the coal from Vancouver's Island
and New Holland. and amount To IS, Oe0. 900.
The construction OF q railroad across the lsIhmus
of Panama would secure the market for those arti-
cts against all competition.
Some idea may be formed Of the demand for
them from The prices paid in San Francisco last
autumn. Coal was sold al $50 to 500 per ton;
pn'ato~s SIG per bushe lurnips and onions tor
% ~ GA cents each; eggs from $40 to Sl2 per
cUz@n.
The distance from Chagres to New York has
recently been run in seven days The same speed
would carry a steamboat from Panama to San
Francisco IN ten days Allow three days to con.
v.y freight across the lshmus, on a railway. and
both passengers and freight will be conveyed from
New York To San Francisco In twenty days.
This celeriiy Of movement would secure Tor
American produce the entire market OF California.
Sailing vessels may be succe ssfuily employed be-
tween cur Atlanuc and gulf ports and the termi,
nus of the railway on this side Of the isthmus and
Mopellers from Panama to San Francisco These
latter vessels will be found peculiarly suited to that
trade; they can use their steam through the calms
OF the bay OF Panama, and against head winds and
currents going north, and their sails with tdvora-
bic winds and currents coming south. =,
These modes of convey ance, in connection with
ly expeditions ara economical to turn the ude OF
C. mme rec between the Atlantic and Pacific States
Of the Union, into that ehannel The tendency OIL
cur commerce on the Pacific, 10 promote The EN-
pigment of ocean steamers, Is OF much Importance
as connected with the defence Of our extensive
line of coast from latitude 81 deg. 10 - deg the
protection Of the whale fishery, and other branches
of trade on that ocean. The establishment OF a
line Of heavy steamers to China would promote all
tnese Obecis, increase our intercourse with that
country, and probably be the means OF opening
conmuDicatl with Japan. Money, wisely em.
poytd IN promoting these objects, It Ia believed,
would add more 10 the power and prosperity OF the
country than Its expenditure on any general system
of tor6cation, al the present prices ct labor and
materials. There is one point, however, OF such
vast importance that no time should be lost In
ticking the necessary steps render it perfectly inn
prsgDsbie-ihat Is, the entrance to the harbor OF
San Frsnc,sco. On the strength OF the works which
ma, he erect to defend that passage, WILL depend
the satety OF California IN tune o. war, with m i-
run power Permit hostile fleet 10 anchor in
the iaib-r VI san Francisco and the country would
he virtually conquered.
The coast mas not been survey ed, nor has its
outline been correctly ascertained. There are
msny rocks above and below the water-line, and
small islands not mentioned or indicated on any
chart which render navigat'on near the land, es-
peciay at night, extremely dangerous.
An accurate survey Uf the coast, TO commence
al Inc most important points, the construction OF
light houses, and the placing OF buoys Ia proper
positions, aIe objects OF much Importance, and, II
COVE Ihment.
MlraLIIc AND MINERAL WEALTH.
The gold region Of California Is between four
and five hunoied miles long, add from forty To
niy miles broad, following tue line oil the Sierra
NEVADA. Further discoveries may, and probably
VIII, iDcreHse the ara. Ii embraces within It's
limits those extensive ranges OF hills which rise on
the eastern border Of the plain OF the Sacramento
| end san joaquin, and extending eastwardly from
30 70 GO miles, they attain elevation OF about HOO
feet. and terminate at the base of the man ridge
OF the Sierra Nevada There are numerous sire ans
| which have their sources IN the springs o the
| Sierra, and receive the water from It's melting
shows, and thai which falls in rain during the wet
| season.
These streams form rivers, which have cut
| their channels through the ranges OF foothills
westwaroly to the pla IN, and dIstmoogue into the
Sacramt nto and San Joaquin. These MYERS are
from Ten 10 fifteen, and probably some OF them
NV, MY miles apart.
The Of iucipsl formation, or substratum, in these
hlls Is talcose slaie; the superstratum, sometimes
penetrating 10 great depth, 10 quartz THIS,
however, does not cover The entire lace OF the
county, but extends IN large bodies IN various
duectr ns-is found in masses and small irag-
m.nts on the surface, and seen along the ravines.
| and IN the mountains overhang ing the rivers, and
In The hill.sldes in Its original beds IL crops out
| in the valleys end on the tops OF the hills, and
forms a striking feature OF the entire country over
which Il extends. From innumerable evidences
aud indications, IL has to be the universally
admitted opinion amoug the miners aud Intelligent
men who have examined this region, that the
gold, whether in detached PARTICLES and pieces or
| In veins, was created 10 combination with the
quartz. Gold is not found on The surface OF tho
country, presenting the appearance OF having been
thrown up and scattered in all directions by vol
capic action II only found In particular local..
ties, and attended by peculiar circumstances and
indications. Ii is found IN the bars aud shoals OF
the rivers-in rayines, and in what are called the
The riyrrs, in forming their channels, or break.
ing their way through the hills, have come IN con,
and
by constant aitriton cut the gold into fns flakes
J and dust, and II 10 found among the sand and
gravel Of their beds at those places where the
swiltness az the current reduces II, IN the dry
season, TO the narrowest possible limits, and where
wide margin ~, consequently, leit on each side,
over which the water rushes, during the wet sea-
son, With great force.
As The velocity Of some streams is greater than
oihers, so 10 the gold found in fine or coarse part-
cles. apparent by corresponding 10 the degree OF
airition TO which il has been exposed. The water
from the hills and upper valleys, 10 finding It's way
to the rivers, has cut deep ravines, and wherever
IL came in contact with the quartz, has dissolved
or crumbed u in pieces.
In the dry season these channels are mostly
without water, and gold Is found IN the beds and
marg ms Of many Of them In large Quantities, but IN
| a much coarser state than IN the rivers; owing,
| undoubtedly, &c the moderate How and temporary
continuance of the current, which has reduced II
To smooth shapes, not unlike prbbes, but had not
l sufficient force to cut IL into flakes or dust.
The dry dleeings are places where quartz con-
tanning gold has cropped out, and been dlsinte-
grated, crumbled to fragments, pebbles, and dust,
by The action Of water and the atmosphere. The
gold has been left as IL was made, in all Imagin-
able shapes in pieces Of all sizes, from one gram
to several pounds IN weight. The evidences that
il was created IN combination with quartz are too
numerous and striking to admit OF doubt or cavil.
They are found in combination in great quantities
Avery large proportion Of the pieces of gold
found in these situations have more or less quartz
sdherng TO them. In many specimens they are
so combined they cannot be separated without
reducing the whole mass to powder, and subject
ing II to the action Of quicksilver
THE gold. not having been exposed TO the attn.
ton Of strong current of water, retains, in great
degree, ts original conformation.
These deRings, IN come places, spread over val
leys Of considerable extent, which have the appear
ance of an slluvion, formed by washings from the
adjoining hills, Of decomposed quartz, and sla G