, 1857-11-06

ing testimony. He was the only resident
on the bay but that either sought safety
during the war in blockhouses, or entered
the volunteer service in some capacity. We
are told that the members of the coal com
pany, for whom Col F. is agent, have the
most unlimited confidence iu him, in every
respect; and well they may have, for we do
not know where they could have found an
other man who would have been as true
and faithful to their interests, or who would
have periled his life in pursuance of con-
tract to the same extent as he has done
alone and exiied, as it were, and for months
together, in the heart of danger from both
British-Russia and domestic hostile Indians.
A few months since, it will be remem-
bered, We published the evidence Of the re-
connoisance of our geoIogist,, DR.. EVANS,
made over three years ago, concerning the
value Of the Goals Of Belliugham Bay, Du-
vanish river, Coos Bay, etc. Justice re-
quires us to say that the coal which is now
being taken out on the claim occupied by
Col. Fitzhugh, is altogether superior TO
any native article ever exhibited as the
product Of the Pacific coast. Miners are
now at work in the third chambcr-at
depth, by the shaft, Of we believe, $50
feet. Within the last few months, steam
machinery has been introduced fer the
working of the mine. The coal is drawn
up in cars on sort of rail road track. and
there are pumps attached to the engine
which perform double purpose Of keep
ing the mine clear Of water, and also, Of
pumping water into the boilers. From
fifteen TO twenty tons per day, are now reg
ularly being deposited on the wharf, aud
il is understood that, with the same ma
chinery and appliances, GO tons per day
eau be produced. The Col. has in his en-
ploy some ten or twelve hands, and We un-
derstgnd that the steamer Columbia, last
trip, brought IL additional hands, with a
foreman, having in charge any quantity Of
necessary mining implements. Including
the residence OF Col. f. anl well ap-
+ pointed block house, there are some
ten buildings on his claim. The steamer
Constitution will supply itself in faure,
with all the coal it may require from this
mine, and We understand it is the purpose
Of the commander OF the Columbia to do
likewise The company for whom Col
Fitzhugh is agent have already expended
upwards Of $50, ,OO0-necessar.ly, for ma.
i chinery, in prospecting, &c, and have ship
ped to San Francisco perhaps, $500 tons
!. of coal. The Constitution Will burn, per
. haps Is tons Of coal in "a hours
We would be doing violence to the trutl
of history, were we not to indulge in
a comparison with the coal furnished by oul
a English neigbbOrs of Vancouyer's Island
. taken out at Nenimo, with that Of Belng
ham Bay. On the last trIp OF the stea
f mer Constitution to Victoria, she took int
her hold from the brig ELeai!a, at ESqui
a malt bay, some 40 tons Of Nenimi coal
which was regarded, too, as a fair speci
:. men of the general average of that mine
j. 1t is the testimony of the engineers, tina
one ton of the Belingham Bay coal il
worth fve Of the Nonimo-that but from
two to four pounds Of steam can be ex
, tracted from the Nenima coal, whereas II
9 pounds, or any quantity that the steamer
is registered to carry, can be produced
i from the mines of Bellingham Bay.
In the burning Of the Nenimo ccal thcr
is emitted a dense gluey pitch, and the en-
:, gineers tell us that arsenic is iucorpo
i rated in the smoke and gases. The pres
ent chief engineer of the Constitution lef
like position on the II. b. Co.'s sleame
Otter, in consequence of the deleterious el
fects induced by the smoke and gasses
The claims of Messrs. Vale, PATEL
Pave, Sc, are doubtless valuable for th
:, coal concealed in them, if iOr nothing else
! but they have not been worked to any eN
tent.
,e To whatever advantage the coal of Van
,e couvers Island might be used on board @
h. other steamers, it must be said that it doe
not answer the purposes of the COnstitn
n tioa, because it chokes the 1ues up, an
ne an adequate quantity of steam cannot b
IN raised from burning it. We will resum
m our "reminiscences of travel next weel
"a BELLIYGHAM BAY, AGAIN.-The veins
7, coal at Col Fitzhugh's claim, vary in thicl
:, ness from IA to 26J feet. The further