Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-08
FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY S, 1861.

|
ests, which are incxhaustibc In them is
found all kinds Of ship timber, except the live
oak, which grows only in Florida
All such as are proper for general use, wheel
wrighting and the purposes Of artillery, arc
found in equal abundance.
i call attention more especially to the white
oak for ship building and artillery service.
AS to the mineral resources Of Virginia, they
are immcasurablc, and extend beyond all ap-
probation. There are III this State, mines Of
iron, coal, copper, lead, gold silver, manganese,
magnesla alum, copperas, chalk, plaster, salt,
sulphur, Slate and ochrc
Copper and lead are found in the Southwest
of Virginia, in almost as large quantity as coal
in the Northern and Wcst-central parts.
it is known that the two principal points OF
the globe for the production OF copper, are
Australia and Japan England has had to a
certain extent the monopoly of the first, and
Holland that of the second.
| 1t ought not to be lost sight of that the cop
per Of Virginia, placed at distance Of about four
times nearer Europe, might be directed easily
towards the markets of the country which
should best know how to profit by the circum-
stances and facilities that the opening of the
Virginia canal would create for the transport Of
this metal so precious to industry.
In coal and iron Virginia cxcels all the othe,
States 5f the Union The fact is recognized
ddsSfgtd. Pennsylvania alone can compete
with her in coal; but Pennsylvania has not q
single bed OF Goals denomnated camel and
p2iat. These two qualities are found only in
Virginia and on the borders of Kentucky, near
the river Sandy.
II is from camel coal that coal oil is extract
cd, for burning and ubrcating purposes
Large factories have already been established
in the West OF this State for the manufacture
Of coal oil, which is in great demand atrthe
North and in the West Of the United States,
for steamboats,, railroads, and other machinery.
The Goals Of Virginia, even the common BIZ
luminous, are entirely free from sulphur. They
are quoted, ain told, in the principal markets
of America, at sixty cents the ton higher than
other coal Of the same kind.
Camel and splint coal bring, on an average,
from two and half to three dollars more the
ton than the coal Of other States.
Virginia is as rich in iron rs coal. Her iron
is generally Of the best kind. Its superiority
is attributed to the copper which is found mix
cd in very large quantity in the ore, which it is
said renders it more ductile, and increases its
capacity for resistance and tension. The ores
Of Western Virginia are rarely cqualled. The
iron of the East Of the State is equal to the
best Swedish and English. The fact has been
proved by experiments, made at different times,
By order Of the government of the United
States
In the mountains Of the State of Virginia
the beds Of iron ore lie subjacont 10 beds Of
the richest coal. Often the same mountain or
hill contains the salts for the fusion Of the
meta, as well as lime, argi and wood for making
charcoal 1t thus results that all the material
necessary not only for the working Of iron with
pit.coal or charcoal, but furthermore for the re-
finement of iron and its conversion into steel,
are found collected together at the same place.
Iron has been made in Virginia at five dollars
the ton. 1t generally costs nine or ten dollars
freigh from England to the United States; and
to the amount of freight must be added the
duty Of 81 per cent.
Virginia, with her superior advantages for
the fabrication Of iron, might reach the point,
by proper development Of her resources, Oi
contesting with England in the articles of iron
and coal in the American market.
The article of salt should not be passed un-
der silence, Monsieur lie MiniSlre and think
it ought to have its due weight Of Importance.
Virginia has mines Of pure salt and nnumcra-
lie salt springs in the West.
Without speaking Of the mines Of Washing
ton county, mines from which the yield in
creases every day, the wells of kanawha pro-
duce annually three millions of bushels Of salt.
! 1t IL thought that tho canal heinz. finished these
same wells could furnish nearly ten millions Of
bushels.
From the county of kanawhn in Virginia is
derived the salt used for all the saltngs in Gin.
cinnati and the great West
The sea salt coming from England and that
! from New York are, It's said, often rejected be-
causc Of their containing lime and other for
eign material.
The question of salt is Of such Importance
that the trade Of New York addressed the
board Of trade OF that city, December the I'd,
1858, in order to adopt means for competing
in the markets Of the west against the monopoly
well and rightfully established, Of Virginia salt
in that country.
Lastly, Monsieur lc Minstrel will not
conclude This part Of my report without re-
| calling NIL that have had the honor Of writing
to your Department in relation to the flour
made at the large mills of Richmond, which
are establishments of the first order. This -four
is always preferred, sought after and demanded.
1t keeps perfectly, under NIL latitudes, 10 such
an extent that Richmond has ended by having
the monopoly Of the principal markets Of South
America, especially of Brazil. The regular
cargoes of -four from Richmond to Rio Janeiro
have already secured to the capital Of Virginia,
rs return cargoes, the coffee and hides of Brazil
which should be added to the mass Of merchan-
disc above enumerated.
Richmond flour is, equally appreciated in
| Australia and California.
4 large quantity OF the grain Of the west
tina: cannot now be received at Richmond on
account of the high price Of actual transpor-
tation, would necessarily be drawn to this place
by the reputation acquired for its -four. The
| almost unlimited water power which is found
even in the very city of Richmond (and which
is derived from the canal, would allow of the
building OF rs many mills rs the. arrival OF grain
here to be ground could exact.
All these resources Of Virginia, OF which |
have Just given only superficial view, would
| for the nature Of these products does not admit
of the costly transport by railroad.
NECESSITY OF :, NEW COMBINATION FOE coM-
pLETiSG TIE CANAL
The riches Of Virginia are to certain cx-
lCDI anu hllDlu luc SEhlc
The population knows Of their existence sees
them, and feels them. 1t has them under. its
hand; and yet it seems only to draw forth a
small portion because the force Of things drives
it to it in spite of itself
In the midst Of the grasping activity Of a
young people which is working prodigias upon
the immense territory Of the United States,
Virginia holds the best place, sleeping upon
her unproductivc treasures.
If Virginia had acted like the population Of
the North or the West of the Union, the James
River and Kanawha Canal would have been
finished long ago. Of this there is not sha-
dow Of doubt. The proof of what advance,
Monsieur lie Ministrc, is that the construction
of the canals Of the North constitutes an up
setting, destruction of the order of things
established by nature in this immense country.
These canals attract the produce Of the West
and even Of the South in a sense inverse to
that indicated by the course of the great RI