The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-29
PUGET SOUND poncELA1s CLAY.
IAN Washington Make Fine Pot
terry as Well as Japau?

SOUND PORCELAIN CLAY.
oan'f Washington Make Fine Pot
'ery as We'll as Japan?
PORT TOWNSEND. Dec n, 1891
man EDifoR: received by the last Japanese
49, q letter from Mr. C. Carrothers. dated
.Lo,.onama, December g. from which make the
Following extracts: 'A'
a. living to the rapid communication hatw.ar
interountry and the United States Pacific coast
of shs Si1 wiil increase rapidly The opening
a. we siberian railroad within a few wears will
uuouD'iess call forth the estabIishment Of a naw
vIa % steamers between Puget sound Japan
A A. rrassota Korea and China, at Shanghai
e. a. pIeseht Yokohama and Kobe are the chief
lnoteign seaports of Japan but Hakodata bas a
th NY nafoor, and fast line of steamers between
1870 ort ana Puget sound might throw a large
ts. . OF the Japanese trade in thai direction
a railroad is now open 10 the north end NJ This
d ahanu ~ Aomorf, seaport Just opposite Hsko-
Ia; Inc latter city is also connected by regI,
WI Iiies OF steamers with the chief seaports
nrtadivostock will be the great Siberian seana-t
ne mouth OF the Amoor is too shallow for Iarge
sesses 70 ascend from the ocean; beside, il is
DSeeu over during many months in the wear
hussia may eventually own Korea in which
ca.e she would get seaports that are not closed
VII, "san ICE as Nladivostoek sometimes is Many
.ans ,1apanese are learning the Russian lam
sS;nhass IN Preparation for increased trade with
siberia on the opening OF the railroad.
~. "'n THIS letter 1 received four beautiful
hthograph color plates illustrating the princf-
pai aquatic animals and plants OF Japan also a
ainpie Oh japanese porcelain clay from Arima
on on .ne island OF Kfushu. The plates measure
zi1io inches and contain ia illustrations of
marine, animal and vegetable life in Japanese
ocean waters. Plate /. has thirty-six litho-
graphic drawings, in which are sharks of several
Varieties, fish, tunnies, skates and other
linus similar to fish found in our waters and
others wholly unknown to u.s. Plate III. has
sixty Illustrations of fish, among which are
haHDut OF several varieties, salmon of three
varieties, nying fish, etc, of forms resembling
.lose seen IN our waters, but differing In scien-
tlhc description, and the rest wholly unknown
on TINS side OF the Pacific ocean, Plate Ill
mas hity-three illustrations of several forms of
octopus, squid and cuttle-fsh, oysters mussels
CLANS, abalone, scallop, spiny lobster or cray
nsh, prawns, shrimps, crabs, etc, all differing
from ours
Plate ~. shows the Japan whale, BalTna
Jdpontca, and the sulphur bottom, Sib6aidius
sagureus, similar to tho sulphur bottom whale
OF our coasts, the killer, Delphnus Eoagirostris,
seas, sea otter, four varieties OF sea turtle,
sea urchin, kelp, sea MOSES, etc. All of these
illustrations are drawn scientifically correct,
ana are coiored to resemble nature. They are
the most beautiful as works of art not fancy
pictures, but accurate delineations of marine
NE, that nave seen. They are published by
the japanese government for the use OF students
and scientific persons Mr.. Carrothers writes
that these plates were obtained through the
normal school where he is a teacher, at a cost of
about 60 cents each, delivered here on Puget
sound.
But the object which most interests me. and
which think will be of great interest to the
people of this state, are the samples of Japanese
porcelain clay. OF these Mr.. Carrothers writes:
81 send you samples of Japanese porcelain clay
from Arima, on the island of kiushu. These
consist OF one specimen of clay rock as taken
from the pit unrefned and three specimens of
refined clay. lit for the potter's wheel" The
unrefined clay appears like mari or friabe rock,
easily worked with the pick. / feel quite GER
tain that have seen specimens of a somewhat
similar substance in this country, Mr.. Carroth-
ers writes: "If there a real prospect of fairly
good porcelain clay in Western Washington,
some porcelain manufacturers here might open
branch factory on Puget sound or elsewhere
in Western Washington, thereby saving the
enormous duty on imported wares. Refined
porcelain clay could be easily shipped from
Japan to be manufactured there into the finest
wares. Can systematic collection of clays on
Puget sound be made? The best clay must be
white, or nearly So Brown clays will not make
fine white wares when burned. / fear such
clays are scarce in Western Washington; still.
If found, their manufacture would develop a
paying industry. This matter should be looked
into by the citizens of leading cities on the
Sound
have shown this specimen of unrefned clay
stone to several miners, and they think they
have seen similar-looking material, which no
miner would think was OF the least value, and
consequently they cannot on the moment recall
where they have seen il. The color of this
specimen is a light grey, with yellowish east
on the outside surface. 1t is, like most clays,
filed with fine sand.
have a specimen OF kaolin clay, sent me by
my friend Judge Warbass, of San Juan island,
who found it on Lopez. This kaolin is lighter
thnn the refined DOrcelau CLAW. but is quite
nearly. as white. / think it can be found in
small masses in various portions OF the Sound,
as persons have told me that they know OF de-
posts of 1t; but as there has been no demand
for porcelain clay no one has hunted for it.
Now that the fact of kaolin being found here is
established, see no reason to doubt that true
porcelain clay will yet be found in Western
Washington.
kaolin, or porcelain clay, is the result of de-
composition OF felspar. If any of our biologists
know of any large deposit of felspar, IL is there
we may look for porcelain clay This dccompo-
sition by the action OF water imparts that milky
appearance to many OF our streams, notably
some of the mountain streams from Mounts
Rainier and Baker. One of the gentlemen TO
whom showed the specimen of japanese clay
rock told me that at Soda creek, where the water
is peculiarly clear, the stream flows in some
places over a perfectly white bottom Another
gentleman told me that he had seen this white
clay on Hood canal. Be that as it may, one
thing is certain, If we can find the white clay
anywhere in Western Washington in sufficiently
large deposits, there viii be built up in the
future valuable industry encouraged and
aided by Japanese capital.
The clay specimens and the plates. illustrating
marine animal and vegetable life in Japan, are
in my office in Port Townsend, where will be
pleased 70 exhibit them to any persons inter
ested. JAMES q. SWAN