The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-15
CHINA A GREAT
AND RICHC0UNTRY
Tremendous Commercial Advantages
Await Its Opening.
DIAMONDS WASHED UP BY RAINS
The Mineral Resources are Wonderin'
and New Discoveries are Beins
Madeline Mining of the Cruz
dest Nature-Coai Found.

WASHINGTON. July H.-SpeciaA-l NC
resources and latent possibilities OK emma
appear unlimited, and in the light OF the
discoveries constantly being made by eX-
plorers il Is small wonder that such
jeasousy should exist among the powers
of the world as regards the empire OF me
Celestials when commercial advantage
Is to be gained.
United States Consul Fowler, who Is
stationed at Chez Foo. has recently been
investigating the diamond resources Oh
that province. and IN that connectioh
writes 10 the state Department giNlhs
extracts from letters written by gen
tleman who lives near the fields.
DIAMONDS IN SAND.
Consul FOwler's correspondent says:
In reply TO your question about the
diamond nelds in this vicinity, u Is ny
personal opinion that they are well worm
exploiting. Just after the main ROAD 20
the south Ching Kiang P'W crosses the
l Sui River. at u point a. II tahout -
niles southeast OF here, 1t passes
through the market town or Ii Una
Chuang. East OF this town, and ABOUT
10 Il a miles, distant therefrom. Hes a low
sandy ridge, which extends south, par
diamonds are found along this ridge ioi
a distance OF at least 20 Ii Is miles,.
They are not found in abundance prob
ably owing to the fact that no systema-
tic search Is made for them. The ma
tives say that IL is impossible 20 ma
them by digging. because they are pro-
duced by the action of the rains on the
soil. OF course. the fact is that they
are simply washed out by the rains. Ihey
IL ksr he "a
10 the regular agents. who come az GER
tain seasons from PeSin. The stones
round seem 10 be chiefly small and OF tea
color. They are In demand for dfhl
points: but good frst-water stones are
also found. occasionally as large as a
hazel-nut. For the best stones the reg
ular market price on the ground IS sald
TO be 1000 large cash S2i0 Mexican. az
current rates. per One-hundredth part OF
the native ounce Che native ounce l-a
ounce avoirdupOis) IL IS apparent thal
the value Of the stones is we'll recog-
nized.
IN recent years the traffic seems TO
have fallen of. The natives say IT Is
because Of the increasing poverty OF the
great families. / have only seen one
specimen. and that was a fairly good one.
about as large as a split pea. should
think that one might buy gcod specl-
men for $40 and $50 Mexican.
MINERAL RESOURCES.
The mineral resources Of this Province
are something wonderful The Germana
know what they are about. twenty-five
II about s niles southwest of this city
are beds of good soft coal. which the ma
tlves mine They make a good article OF
coke. which we use I'm our stoves. IL
costs 5l-2 cash per catty I. O.. about so
cents Mexican per 100 catties (25 cents per
1913 1-3 pounds) In the same region iron
abounds Forty-hve D rs miles, west
OF the city Is a small hill composed or
what seems TO be phenomenally pure nj
oxide Of iron For that matter the
south extremity Of this city rests upon a
hilock from which good ore crops out.
Coarse native pottery is made nelr
the coal mines above referred TO- Far 10
the north Of the city I'm the mountains
OF I Sui and Ming Yin are deposits Of
gold. silver. and lead OF unknown value.
A native friend of ours q few years ago
organized q company and opened a silver
mine I'm Ming Yin. They produced, with
very crude methods. excellent silver IN
having quantities. but the usual thing
happened-the jealous neighbors objected
ana the officials stopped the work
"I have just heard Of a placer mine re-
Gently opened on the west bank Of the I
sui dUOuL luU II iuftltF nlANf INV" NM
north Of this city. Ny informant visited
II in person. 10 was worked at night ana
several thousand cash-0co cash equals
about IS cents)- worth of gold was taken
out OF every bucket full Of sand
Mr.. Archibald Little British resident
Of Chung King, China. has succeeded In
ascending the Yang-tze -Kiang TO his
home with the first steam vessel 70 go
above the treaty port OF Ichang As the
crow flies the distance is only 100 miles,
although about COO by the river. The boat
used was quite small but the feat is
considered OF importance commercially
as demonstrating what can be done.
FOREIGN RESIDENTS
Information has been furnished Consul
General Convey. OF Yokohoma, by which
he Is able 10 report the number OF foreign
residents in Yokohoma and Tokyo, eN-
GLIDING hotel guests.
In Yokohoma the Chinese number z. ~
British $50 American. 1863: German, l3S.
Austro- Huugarias. 49, Tho remainder OF
the 472S foreign residents are wen APP
portioned among other nations.
In Tokyo there are only Ga chinese; ~
British: 1876 American; % French. and $
Germans The total number OF foreign
residents there Is 7GL