The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-04-16

being the OF the Pacific railroad 10 unite the
Mississippi with the Pacific ocean. In performing the
journey myself employed seven hundred horses be-
frequently had four and sometimes FIVE, TO my
sleigh this, with the two hundred and ten drivers and
fifteen additional postillionsay two hundred and TWEEN
tyye drivers at cost of three hundred and twcntyf
nibles for "troykah or about eight cents per mile
The proper time to TO Chea will be before the break
ing up of winter otherwise the journey would be much
longer and more difficult shall remain in Chea, or in
that region probably till May according to the best in
formation To be gained at this time when the first expo
diton for the season will embark upon the Amoor for
Nicolaief | visited to-day the Museum, which Is also
the depot of meteorological and geographical knowledge
The mineral richness of this country, judging from the
specimens exhibited is truly wonderful The department
of antiquity Is also interesting; and as TO antediluvan
remains, country possesses 1.-THE OF what this does
There many varieties Of fish in Lake Bakal, but
particularly very singular species This fish is cast
upon the shores after great storms; live fish has
been SEEM the fish is quite OF fat from which the
inhabitants make quantities of OIL which is used for do
nestle purposes Btumen asphalt Is also thrown up
from the depths OF the lake and cast upon the shores,
from which also oil is very readily obtained The shocks
of earthquakes are frequent, but do damage.
saw yesterday Greek priest who had been years in
Pekn, China He gave me some interesting information,
particularly concerning the trade and products of North
ern China Mongolia and NIanchooria. The northern
portion of China north of the Yellow river produces
tea but much silk. There is but most excellent
kind of silk produced which much esteemed for mems
garments The worms fed on species of oak pecu-
liar to the country This silk is produced in large guam
titles, and dress robe of it, such by the
priests, will last years The Russian mission
posed Of ten persons but may be less by death
other They reside within the city of Pekn
the imperial palace have Chinese guard of honor but
perfectly free and unrestricted in their movements
This priest had been TO Canton land The Chinese
hav, school of twenty young men, taken from the
children OF those who descendants of the Cosscks
made prisoners at the capture of Albasn the Amoor
river in $780, in the war with Russia, and who
moved to Pekin these boys are taught the Russian Ian
this school to be rendered into Chinese as well as such
Russian books writings of the contents of which the
Emperor wishes to be informed.
The steamer America has made the passage from Nico
lacf mouth of the Amoor, to Agan, through the straits
north of the AMOR into the Okhotsk This has here
oiore been considered mpaccable II is reported that
there fourteen feet of water the bars Twenty-Five
feet is found in the straits OF Tartay but the charts and
such specific details OF the navigation valuable
yet only in the hands of the local authorities there
From the junction of the two rivers, Shelka and Ar
goon which form the AMOR the distance Ncolaef il
three thousand five hundred versts. The Shelka
rises in Trans Bkal the Argoon forms the boundary be-
tween the Mongolian Chinese possessions and Siberia
Both OF these rivers naygable but to what extent is
uncertain There is navigation from this point by the
Angara Baikal and Sclenga to within short distance
of Kyachta, and steam could be employed the whole
distance From this place to the mouth of the AMOR is
six thousand yeIsts.
Wrecks Information has been received at the Depart
ment of State from correspondent at Honolulu of the
loss of several American whaling vessels belonging
New Bedford, Connecticut. The ship Mount Vernon
lost in the ice in the Ochotsk sea- the goth of June
last The rescued by the ship Barnstable of
the same port and portion of the oil saved, but
the vessel was total wreck The ship Alexander Coffin
upon the rocks in the Ochotsk sea, the Kure
islands, the 10th of August last, and dismnsed
She subsequently, taken into An, condemned, and
the oil and bone shipped to the United States The ship
Matches wrecked in Potters hay Ochotsk sea- the
18th Of October where she left upon the beach The
taken OFF by the barque Harmony, of New
London The ship Nauticon wrecked at the entrance
of the harbor of Honolulu the 24th November AS
ssancc promptly rendered by the French frigate
Embuscade, Captain Gizolme, and by the English figate
Hayannah, Capt. Harvey. The cargo mostly saved
but the ship total loss
The brig Jonquina of Olympia crushed in the ice
near Azan, and completely wrecked. Her crew were
saved by other vessels.