The Nevada Democrat., 1857-01-21
WHOLE NO. 172.
VARIETIES.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLASTING RoCKs.--A mode
now adopted in blasting rocks consists in plac-
ing the powder or charge within a tube or base,
between two heads provided with packing,
and attached to rod, by which arrangement
the charge is prevented from "bowing out" or
obtain vent in the direction of the line of the
hole in which the tube and charge are placed,
and the effect of the charge is exerted against
the sides of the tube or case. By this method it
is represented that rocks may be blasted with
much greater facility than by the ordinary mode,
no tampng or packing of clay being necessary
to confine the powder within the hole.
AN ANCIENT BARK.-The New Bedford Mer-
curry says:-The whaling bark Maria, which re-
Gently returned to New Bedford from the Pacific,
is beyond question the Oldest vessel in the
United States. We have so often sketched her
prolonged career that repetition is perhaps
unnecessary, excepting always, the memorable
fact that she was the first ship that hoisted the
American flag in the river Thames at the con-
clusion of the war of the American Revolution.
She has already outlived on the ocean many OF
| her more pretentiOus juniors and promises to
do good service yet to her owners.
COPPER MNEs.-The late news from the south
ern part of the State inform us that valuable
copper mines have been discovered within twen-
ty-six miles of Fort Yuma. The discovery, If
true, will prove important, The copper mines
of Arizona are probably the richest in the world,
but they can scarcely be made available at pre-
sent from the fact that they are two or three
hundred miles from navigable streams. Fort
Yuma is located at the junction of the Colorado
and Gila rivers, and the Colorado to that point
| is navigable.
LAMARTNE's GRAPE CRoP.-There is good
news for the friends of NJ. Lamartine. The
grape crop of the illustrious poet is this year
magnificent. Around his vineyards the hail
had injured the vines-his alone were preserved.
1t is estimated that his crop will reach two thou
sand five hundred hogsheads of wine. The jour
nal which furnishes this piece of intelligence,
adds that NJ. Lamartine is retained at Macon,
by a return of the painful rheumatism, to which
he is so often subject
HONEY BEEs.-Appleton q Co., of San Jose,
have eighty swarms of bees, the first of which
was brought across the Isthmus in 1853. Seve-
raj subsequent attempts were made to bring
hives by the same route, but nearly all of them
died before their arrival In California. 1t is
| said that they make quite as much honey from
wild mustard and other plants in California, as
in any other part of the world. They are at
present worth 500 per hive
THE AMERICAN CHINA TRADE.-The culture Of
tea in the United States is an attempt the i'm
portance of which is not generally known. The
trade with China is rapidly increasing. In lS49
| we imported lS,UUU,UUU pOuuuS itd. OuilhB
the last year the import has reached about 4O,-
O00, 900 pounds The annual import has varied
since 1919 from l8,000,000 to 40,00Q,000 lbs
some years, as in 1853, being 10000 600 lbs,
and in 1855, 81 100000 pounds.
RIcH QUARTz-A company consisting of four
Austrians and an Irshman have recently struck
a rich quartz vein at Browns Flat, short dis
tanoe from Columbia, Tuolumne county. We
learn that on Thursday last they pounded out,
in mortars about ten pounds of gold They
have been working the vein about six weeks,
and estimate the value of the quartz already
taken out at $4,000,
ExTRAvAGANT--The Common Council of New
York have adopted plan, previously acted
favorably upon by the other branch of the city
government for a city hail. the cost of which
is to be SIS 100000. The Times of that city
calls upon Mayor Wood to veto the matter, as
O piece of extravagance which the citizens will
not submit to be taxed for.
STRAY BABIEs-A San Francisco paper of
Wednesday last says: "The police station was
beseged yesterday with parents in search OF lost
children. In two instances the estrays were
recovered. There is yet little girl at the sta
tion house and boy at the corner Of Sacra-
mento and Kearny sts., waiting to be claimed"
OTTER HUNTING ON THE CoAsT.-The Santa
Barbara Gazette notices the departure on SIX
months cruise after otter, of the schooner
Alexander Fisher. The vessel was recently
purchased by a company of enterprising young
men engaged in hunting sea otter along the
coast.
OUARTz.-Some valuable pieces of gOld-bear-
ing quartz have lately been taken from the lead
on Big Canon, about mile and a half north
of Plaoerville. The lead is about three feet
thick, and in most of the quartz taken out, gold
is plainly perceptible. A mill will be erected
there early in the spring.
EXTENSIVE FIUMING.-The work of grading
! for the monster fume, which is to lay bare the
rich deposits in the bed of Feather river, oppov
site Oroville, next summer. has been commenc-
: ed This is said to be one of the most extensive
huming operations on that river.
FLOODS IN INDA-The recent floods in British
India according to the Calcutta correspondent
of the London Ttmes swept away whole towns
from the face of the earth, and caused the loss
between 1000 and 200 lives, besides the de-
struction of incalculable amounts of property
A KANSAS SwINDLER-Col. J. W. White, of
Kansas, who has been raising men and money
at the South for the Southern cause in Kansas,
has decamped with the funds, and left his men
destitute and penness, somewhere in Georgia.
DESTRUCTIVE FREs.-The total aggregate of
losses by fire in the Atlantic States during the
month of November, was S2.445, ,00O There
were twenty-five fires in which the loss exceed
ed $4,000.
ACorDENT.-Mr. Mayo. of Folsom, while out
| hunting, recently, had his left hand dreadfully
shattered by the bursting of a double-barreled
gun, as he fred at some geese.
vIGnANTE WoIFE.-Ths respectable interior
travelling policeman of the Vigilance Commit
tee was fined day or two since in San Fran
cisco$20 for drunkenness and disorderly conduct,
, For CHINA.-The S. F. Herald says the Chi
nese are organizing in great strength to estah-
, lish facilities for the transportation of large
} numbers of their people to their native land.
I,por Pporrrc is stated that the profts