It may be safely assumed, that no known mine with a remunerative content of silver in its ores, is at present idle from the great high price of quicksilver; and we must, therefore, only look for an increased produce of this metal (silver) from mines whose ores, although abundant, are too poor to pay the cost of reduction. With ores of this class, which in Mexico are always reduced by amalgamation, quicksilver is not so important an agent as with those that are rich: for while the cost of grinding and other manipulations, salt and other ingredients, vary but little in the reduction of rich or poor ores, the expenditure of quicksilver being in proportion to the silver yielded, of course diminishes with the decreased value of the ore. The total cost, as well as the relative proportions of that cost, for extracting silver from its ores by amalgamation, varies very much in the several parts of this Republic, and in different years. For the ore, rich or poor, must be ground to a fine powder or paste; and as the great bulk of silver produced in this country is obtained from districts in which animal power is alone employed in the necessary grinding machinery, it follows that the price of maize-its principal forage-must form a chief feature, and in fact a more prominent one than even quicksilver, in the reduction of its ores. To take something like a mean, I may estimate the cost of reducing silver ores with maize at $2 per "fanega," or $22 per "monton" of 30 quintals, and divide it as follows: Forage. Maize $34, straw $2 Salt Other materials, such as sulphate of copper, iron, Management of labor $550 3 50 5 50 7 50 $22 00 This cost, which does not include quicksilver, is technically termed "Maquila," and as I have before said, varies comparatively little with rich or poor ores; but to it must be added the value of quicksilver expended, which increases in proportion to the richness of the ore reduced. $22 00 Thus, with a good remunerative ore, containing 12 marks of silver per "monton" of 30 quintals, the cost of reducing that quantity would be, for "Maquila" Loss of quicksilver, at the rate of of a pound per mark of silver-equal on 12 marks to 9 lbs. at $100 per quintal Making total cost of reducing a "monton" of such ore 9.00 $31 00 While with a poor ore of 5 marks per "monton," which would require rather less materials, we must calculate thus: Maquila Quicksilver, in same proportion as above on 5 marks $20 00 3 75 $23 75 In the first case quicksilver is an item of considerable interest, but in the second so comparatively trivial, that if its value were reduced by one-half, it would not effect a saving of more than $2 per "monton." Maize, on the contrary, plays a more important part; for even taken at its mean price, it amounts, as I have shown, to $3 per "monton," subject in good seasons to go down to $2, and in unfavorable years to ascend to $7, and even more; besides, the variation in straw, which, although not to such extremes, in some degree accompanies the maize in its fluctuations. But besides the cost of extracting the silver from its ores, we must also take into consideration the cost of extracting those ores from their deposits in veins; and this varies in different districts and mines even more than the cost of reduction. Thus in some cases, the ore being rich but scarce, much cost is incurred in manual labor for blasting and extracting it from the vein; while in others, the ores, although poor, are yet abundant, but the mines containing much water, the cost of drainage by horse power may be very considerable, and fluctuating with the price of maize. Taking the case of a mine very abundant in poor ores-say, containing 5 marks per "monton," being 27 ounces per ton, or 1 per cent. of silver, and not troubled with water; which would be the class of mine on which the reduced value of quicksilver would have most influence, the cost of producing a mark of silver worth $9, would, under different circumstances, as the price of quicksilver and maize, be approximately as follows: In this district of Real del Monte, which, in many respects, is an exception to others: the mines, deep and much troubled with water, are drained by steam power, while the ores of a poor and refractory class, being ground by steam or water power, and afterwards reduced, as at Freyberg, in barrels, the loss of quicksilver and consumption of maize are comparatively trifling; leaving other items, such as fuel and salt, to take the lead of the expenditure. The following will give some idea of the subdivision of one year's cost at Real del Monte. We amalgamate in our barrels five times the quantity reduced by a similar process in the celebrated works of the King of Saxony at Freyberg. From the foregoing statement I think you will perceive that the price of quicksilver has not directly very much influence in the produce of silver from poor mines; and although its cost will not prevent the working of rich ones, yet its cheapness, by allowing these to realize greater profits, will undoubtedly encourage mining industry, and thus indirectly lead to a greater produce of silver. This increase in the produce of silver will, however, be again checked by the greatest obstacle which interferes with mining enterprise in this country, the scarcity of population and the unsteady working of that it possesses. Even in this district, so near the capital of the Republic, we are obliged to rely partly on convict labor. I could myself point out numerous mining districts which, without any diminution in the price of quicksilver, would pay well the cost of working, could sufficient and economical labor be obtained. I shall, therefore, rather say, that any diminution in the value of quicksilver will, as far as relates to this country, and for some time, rather tend to render mining more profitable than in any very considerable degree to augment the produce of silver. I do not possess any certain data as to the expenditure of quicksilver in this Republic, but think a very approximate estimate may be obtained in this way: the loss of quicksilver on ores treated by amalgamation is on an average above of a pound per mark of silver; but although this is the process generally practised, yet some are reduced by smelting and the use of lead, which would diminish the average loss of quicksilver to about of a pound on every mark of gold and silver produced. If, then, to the total coinage of all the mints of the Republic there be added a fair allowance for that portion of the precious metals which are smuggled, and of a pound of quicksilver be taken for every mark, I think the result will be a very fair approximate estimate of the consumption of quicksilver in the Mexican Republic; which, even if the price go down to $40 per quintal, will not for some years be augmented by more than 20 per cent. J. B. STATISTICS-RELIGIOUS, MORAL, &c. AMERICAN MISSIONARY SOCIETIES. The following tables have been compiled from the last reports of the different missionary societies in this country. They embrace the operations of these institutions among the heathen, the Oriental churches, the Jews of other lands, Liberia, the West Indies, and our own aborigines. The number of stations, it will be seen, is 261, of missionaries 369, of male assistants 79, and of female assistants 380. * Including those supported by the Hawaiian Government. The Episcopal Board of Missions has 23 stations, foreign and domestic-100 missionaries, foreign and domestic, 15 female assistants, and 20 native teachers, and a large number of communicants. The statement in the table does not do justice to this institution. 2 2 7 13 1 3 1 11 6 22237 8 1,320 167 10 5 3,494 395 Fields Occupied. This table shows the fields occupied by the different societies, and the number of ordained missionaries in each. During the past year, sixty-three auxiliaries had been adopted, and the Receipts from all sources have been $276,882 52, which, including legacies, is less than the income of the previous year; but excluding legacies (a very fluctuating item) is larger by $8,450 18. Number of Bibles and Testaments issued 592,432, or a total since the formation of the society of 7,572,967 copies. The Board have issued a new Diamond 64mo. New Testament, some of the copies having also Book of Psalms appended. Also a School Testament, of large type, for children and imperfect readers. Also a New Testament of Swedish and English in parallel columns; and a similar Testament, in French and English, is in course of preparation. AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. The receipts of the year were, from all sources, $44,983 73, balancing expenditures to the same amount. Balance on hand, at |