in abundance, probably owing to the fact that no systematic search is made for them. The natives say that it is impossible to find them by digging, because they are produced by the action of the rains on the soil. Of course, the fact is that they are simply washed out by the rains. They are picked up by the farmers and sold to the regular agents, who come at certain seasons from Pekin. The stones found seem to be chiefly small and of tea color. They are in demand for drill points; but good, first-water stones are also found, occasionally as large as a hazelnut. For the best stones the regular market price on the ground is said to be 2,000 large cash ($240 Mexican,* at current rates) per one-hundredth part of the native ounce (the native ounce=11⁄2 ounce avoirdupois). It is apparent that the value of the stones is well recognized.

In recent years the traffic seems to have fallen off. The natives say it is because of the increasing poverty of the great families. I have only seen one specimen, and that was a fairly good one, about as large as a split pea. I should think that one might buy a good specimen for $10 to $20 Mexican.

The Germans

Far to

The mineral resources of this province are something wonderful. know what they are about. Twenty-five li (about 8 miles) southwest of this city are beds of good soft coal, which the natives mine. They make a good article of coke, which we use in our stoves. It costs 51⁄2 cash per catty, i. e., about 60 cents Mexican per 100 catties (26 cents per 133 pounds). In the same region iron abounds. Forty-five li (18 miles) west of the city is a small hill composed of what seems to be phenomenally pure red oxide of iron. For that matter, the south extremity of this city rests upon a hillock from which good ore crops out. Coarse native pottery is made near the coal mines above referred to. the north of the city, in the mountains of I Sui and Ming Yin, are deposits of gold, silver, and lead of unknown value. A native friend of ours a few years ago organized a company and opened a silver mine in Ming Yin. They produced, with very crude methods, excellent silver in paying quantities; but the usual thing happened the jealous neighbors objected, and the officials stopped the work. I have just heard of a placer mine recently opened on the west bank of the I Sui, about 160 li (nearly 65 miles) north of this city. My informant visited it in person. It was worked at night and several thousand cash worth of gold was taken out of every bucket full of sand.

NAVIGATION OF THE UPPER

UPPER YANGTZE WITH STEAM VESSELS.

Mr. Archibald J. Little, a British merchant resident of this port (Chungking), has succeeded in bringing hither a good-sized steam launch from Shanghai. This is the first steam vessel to ascend the Yangtze above the treaty port of Ichang, and was about three weeks en route. According to Mr. Little's statement, the journey might have been accomplished in much less time had it not been for numerous delays. He had in tow a small junk and a native gunboat sent by the Chinese for protection. These, of course, retarded his progress, and the speed of his boat was not greater than 10 knots.

* According to the valuation of the Director of the United States Mint, April 1, 1898, the Mexican dollar 44.4 cents.

The equivalent of 1,000 cash is about 45 cents.

This only shows what can be done with a full-power, light-draft steamer. It is to be hoped that the navigation of the waters of the Upper Yangtze with steam vessels will be undertaken at no distant date, now that a small beginning has been made.

Vessels to navigate this section of the river must not be over 150 feet long; they must have light draft (say 4 feet) and power sufficient to propel them at the rate of 15 knots an hour. This would give them headway at the swiftest rapids and currents.

Steamers of the

above dimensions would probably not have much room for cargo, inasmuch as the engines would take up a great deal of space, as well as the accommodation for passengers. The cargo, it is thought, could be taken in tow on board native boats. This method would have the advantage that on reaching a bad rapid, the boat or boats in tow could be liberated and the steamer make the ascent alone; the junks could then be hauled up, as they now are, by coolies, which would still furnish employment to this class of people.

It is thought possible for steamers to run ten months of the year. During the remaining period the lowness of the water would make navigation difficult, if not impossible.

CHUNGKING, March 31, 1898.

GEO. F. SMITHERS,

Consul.

PASSPORTS FOR RUSSIAN TERRITORY IN CHINA.

Minister Denby transmits from Pekin, under date of May 21, copy of a note from the Russian chargé d'affaires, relating to the requirement that all foreign subjects going to any part of the territory in Manchuria, recently ceded to Russia, shall bear passports which have been viséed by the Russian consul. The communication reads:

Mr. MINISTER: In conformity with the instructions I have just received from the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I have the honor to inform you that all foreign subjects going to Port Arthur and Talien-wan, or to any other point in the territory which has been ceded in usufruct to the Imperial Government by the Chinese Government, must be provided with passports from their respective governments, duly viséed in a Russian consulate.

While so informing Your Excellency, and hoping that you will find it useful to give to your consuls instructions relative to the subject mentioned, I seize the occassion to renew the assurance of my high consideration.

To His Excellency Mr. DENBY,

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

A. PAVLOW.

Under date of May 15, Minister Denby informs the Department that the Russian consul at Tientsin recently notified the consular body to the same effect.

BALLOONING IN THE HIGH ALPS.

An interesting attempt in behalf of science will be made this summer by Capt. C. Spelterini to cross the high Alps of Switzerland in a balloon, for the purpose of making meteorological and topographical observations. The Swiss Weather Bureau and many Swiss scientists are interested in the venture. If successful, it will be the first air ship that has ever crossed the high Alps.

The principal parts of the balloon have already been constructed in the factory of George Basacon, at Paris, and the basket, network, and other features are being perfected as rapidly as possible. The dimensions of the balloon are as follows: Diameter, 18.41 meters (20.13 yards), circumference, 37.81 meters (41.35 yards); contents, 3,268 cubic meters (115,414.64 cubic feet, or 4,274.61 cubic yards); surface, 1,065 quadrat meters (1,273.74 square yards); weight of balloon, basket, and network, about 2,020 pounds; carrying power, 7,400 pounds.

The movement of the balloon is to be ascertained by topographical and barometrical observations; one registering aneroid barometer and one controlling quicksilver barometer will be used for this purpose. At the time of the journey frequent observations are to be made at the Swiss meteorological stations, and by this plan the coexisting difference of the direction and rapidity of the wind in the various high strata of air are hoped to be obtained. Careful observations are to be made from the air ship as to the humidity and temperature, as well as to the color phenomena of the atmosphere, strata of vapor, formation of clouds, etc. One of the most important and interesting results expected is the photographing of mountains from the balloon. The point of view from which these photographs must be taken in order to be of the greatest use for cartography, geography, geology, as well as for best execution, has been carefully planned; and important results are confidently expected. The science of photography is also to be used in the study of the formation of vapor and clouds in high Alpine altitudes.

The question of from what point and in which direction the aërial journey shall be made has been thoroughly studied by some of the best-known Swiss scientists. Government meteorologists stationed at the highest possible altitudes in Switzerland claim that it is impossible for a balloon to sail over the high Alps from north to south or from south to north, because the south winds are not strong enough to reach the higher air currents, and the strong north winds are so rare that no dependence can be placed upon them. The

prevailing wind in the high Alps is from the southwest, and Captain Spelterini claims that, in nearly all of his aërial expeditions in Switzerland, he has been driven northeast whenever he passed an altitude of 10,000 feet. By this experience, he is satisfied that by ascending in Lugano he would, as soon as he had reached the altitude. of 10,000 feet, be driven into the Tyrol Mountains. It has therefore been decided that he shall make the ascension at Sitten, in the Canton of Wallis, whence, after reaching an altitude sufficient, he expects to be driven over the Finsteraar group, the Urner and Glarner Alps, toward the Upper Rhine Valley, between Sargans and Lake Constance. The length of this journey would be about 130 miles, and, if the wind is at the rate of from 6 to 10 meters (19 to 32 feet) per second, the journey will be made in about eight hours. JAMES T. DUBOIS, Consul-General.

ST. GALL, May 12, 1898.

GRAIN IMPORTS OF SWITZERLAND.

Why does the United States supply such a small proportion of the large quantity of cereals imported by Switzerland? During the year 1897 the share of the United States was only about 3 per cent-an insignificant amount as compared with the whole.

The following data compiled from the Statistique du Commerce de la Suisse, covering the fiscal year ended August 31, 1897, shows an increase over the amount imported in 1896 of more than $5,000,000 in cereals alone. The following table will show the import of cereals. in 1896 and 1897, and the share of the United States in the latter year:

Is there any reason why the United States should only receive $2.12 per quintal (220.46 pounds), and, at that low price, sell only $84,000 worth, while Russia, at $2.26 per quintal, heads the list by shipping $368,000 worth, followed by the Danube district with $246,000 worth, at $2.31? It is well known that the American maize

Of the $1,500,000

is equal, if not superior, to the Russian product worth of maize imported by Switzerland in 1897, the share of the United States was but 5.9 per cent. Are the Russian exporters and

shippers more energetic than our own? The following table shows imports of maize:

The wheat table, showing the enormous increase of 1897 over 1896 and the small percentage furnished by the United States, is of interest. While prices, on account of the peculiar condition of the market, prohibit exportation at present, attention should be given, as soon as they drop to their normal condition, to the large amount of wheat used by Switzerland. It will be seen by the table that Austria furnishes an enormous amount at prices higher than those of the United States, while Russia supplies the great bulk at a very few cents per quintal cheaper than the United States.