depend upon laws which are certain in their operation. Thus, New Orleans, which in its early history doubled its population in twelve years, would not now duplicate in less than thirty-four years. Boston, half a century ago, doubled its population in twenty-three years, but now it will duplicate in twelve and a half years. Alexandria, Va., once required fifty years for a duplication, but at its present ratio of increase it would require four hundred years. Worcester, Mass., once only duplicated in twentyone years, but now it will require but nine and a half years.

Let us examine a moment the causes of these results. New Orleans has depended upon Commerce alone for her prosperity. Thirty years ago she had no competitor to disturb her inland trade. She was the grand depot of nearly all the trade of the Mississippi Valley. Her growth would of course be rapid. But during more than forty years she has brought to her assistance no new element of growth-no railroads of consequence-no manufactories. Other cities have sprung up, and by means of railroads, canals, etc., have entered into a keen competition with her, for the purchase and transportation of the products of the Mississippi Valley. Thus, during the last season, much of the tobacco which was formerly landed in New Orleans and reshipped, was purchased and shipped, via Cincinnati and Buffalo, to New York. At the same time, New Orleans has depended upon her keen competitors for the simplest articles of manufacture. The reason of this decrease in prosperity is obvious.

Boston furnishes another illustration. Her commercial position is not so favorable as that of New Orleans. When she depended upon Commerce alone, her population duplicated but once in twenty-three years. Now, when she has made the whole Union tributary to her, by her vast system of railroads, and sends her manufactured articles to all climes, the ratio of her growth will double her population in fourteen and a half years. Now let me place these figures side by side:—

Here, then, is a complete reversal of the law of growth, consequent upon causes so plain that he that runs may read.

Taking the ratio of increase of various cities from 1840 to 1850, we find the time required for duplication nearly as follows:

The foregoing are Western cities, with one exception, and the ratio of growth is greater than that of any other cities in the world. If these deductions approach to accuracy, and we believe they do, St. Louis, which in 1850 had a population of 80,000, will in four years from the date of that census, have a population of 160,000; Cincinnati will have 250,000 long before the next decennial period; and Chicago, at the commencement of the year 1854, will contain not less than 60,000. We cannot but think that real investments in such places will pay beyond any other. A man of moderate means may grow rich while he sleeps. But let us see how this law of growth is to affect other cities of the Union :

Here is another class of cities which, we conclude, are built and "finished :-"

DEATHS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK FROM 1805 TO 1851.

It appears by the annual report of the City Inspector that the total number of deaths during the year 1851 was 22,024, deducting the number of still-born, and those who died from premature birth, malformation, &c., together with the number brought from other places to New York for interment, 2,790. The deaths as above are classified in the report as follows:

showing the total number of males to have been 12,175; total number of females, 9,849 or adults of both sexes, 7,675, and children of both sexes, 14,349.

We subjoin a tabular statement of the number of deaths in each year from 1805 to 1851, (which is as far back as returns can be obtained,) and the ratio to the population:

Toronto, Canada, was incorporated a city, then "Little York," in 1834. will be seen by the census just completed :

Its growth

1826. 1830. 1834. 1838. 1842. 1846. 1850. 1552. Population....... 1,719 5,860 9,254 12,571 15,336 20,565 25,166 30,763

Surprising as has been the growth of many American towns and cities, few can boast a more rapid progress than this. Toronto, for activity and appearance of business, resembles our American towns more than any other in the Province, and for elegant buildings, public and private, is second to none.

POPULATION OF QUEBEC, CANADA.

The ancient city of Quebec now contains a population of 42,052. Total in city and county, 61,466, an increase of 15,790 since the census of 1844. The matrimonial statistics of the city give 6,425 married men, and 6,404 women; 12,207 single men, and 13,203 women; 548 widowers, and 1,446 widows. Military force, 1,748. Of the 42,052, no less than 24,506 are classed Canada French. The Catholics number 32,934. Church of England, 3,489.

* Highest ratio.

+ Lowest ratio. + Cholera, 8 Typhus.

JOURNAL OF MINING AND MANUFACTURES.

NEW METHOD OF MANUFACTURING GAS.

Patents have been issued in this country and in England for a new method of manufacturing gas, which promises to supersede that at present in use, excelling, as it does, the great desiderata of cheapness, brilliancy, simplicity, and cleanliness. Companies for the manufacture and sale of the requisite apparatus have been organized in London and in New York-that in the latter city being styled the United States Gas Company. The Commercial Advertiser says:

"We have examined the apparatus in operation at the latter company's rooms, and have found it equal to representations, which we heard with some degree of incredulity. It occupies a small space, and is so simple in all its parts that any person of ordinary understanding can readily be made to comprehend its workings, and learn its management in a few months. As in the case of many other inventions, the observer wonders that such a simple and useful contrivance was never thought of before. The apparatus we examined was supplied with some twenty burners, all of which were ignited at once, and gave a light of surpassing brilliancy. Professor Renwick has drawn up a report on the subject, showing from a careful analysis that this gas is superior in every respect to that in common use. It can be introduced into dwelling houses, in public buildings, or even on shipboard, with the utmost safety. This gas is made from pine oil, a gallon of which, costing twelve cents, we are informed, will be sufficient for the supply of twenty burners for one hour. Thirty lights burning five hours per night, will cost but $1 124, while the city gas for the same number of burners, would cost $2 25, making a difference in one year of $410 in favor of the new invention. This seems almost incredible, but it is a statement of that kind which can be easily tested, and which it would be impossible to sustain by other than experimental evidence. The company are about to publish a circular setting forth the results of experiments made by Professor Renwick, and other scientific persons who have examined the invention, and in the meantime the public are invited to see for themselves. Unless we are greatly deceived, this invention will work its way into general favor.

THE SILK MANUFACTURE.

It is a little singular that the most important movement made this session, or we may say for many sessions of Congress, for the encouragement of domestic manufactures, has been made by Mr. Rantoul, our free trade representative, in his notice of a bill to abolish the duty on raw silk. The bill, we trust, will also include the abolition of all duty on the dye-stuffs that enter into the manufacture of the various fabrics of silk. There is now a duty of 15 per cent ad valorem on raw silk, and from 10 to 30 per cent on foreign dye-stuffs. This is a direct discouragement to the domestic manufacture of silk goods. And its encouragement is entirely lost upon the forlorn caterpillars that here and there subsist on the frost-bitten remnants of Morus Multicaulis plantations. Nature has thus far put a veto upon silk worm culture in this country, which no tariff on raw silk or manufactured, can set aside. It is very true that a few nice experiments at Economy, Pennsylvania, and Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, have succeeded in producing tolerable silk fabrics from native silk, but they have entirely failed, and failed through the inherent difficulties of the climate, in introducing the production of silk as an agricultural branch. If it ever succeeds it must be after and in consequence of the domestic manufacture of silk goods, opening a general and immediate market for raw silk.

But the mechanical advantages and the hands for the manufacture of raw silk into goods we have in abundance. For skilled female operatives we exceed any country. We have, in fact, precisely the manufacturing talent adapted to silk manufactures, and all the encouragement we want is the ability to get the raw materials as cheap as other silk manufacturing countries. Of course there are no duties on raw silk in France, for there it is produced. There are none in England. Thus England and

France have a decided advantage, to the discouragement of any attempt at manufac turing silk goods in the United States. Were we placed on an equality, the competition in the business in those countries would drive over to our land of cheaper bread a portion of the best skilled labor, and that would teach us how to start. In other words, the manufacture would transplant itself to our soil, just as it and many other branches were transplanted from the continent of Europe to the isle of Great Britain. The value of silk goods entered for consumption in the United States, in 1851, was some $26,000,000. Add to this duty, commission, and profits, and we have an expenditure of not less than $36,000,000 per annum for silks. The whole of the raw silk worked up in the United States the same year was not half a million dollars worth. Here there is a profitable opening for our industries of almost unlimited extent, provided Congress will not discourage our citizens from entering it. We shall hereafter show what may be done, by what has been done in England."

To the above well-timed and just remarks of our cotemporary of the Boston Commonwealth we append a tabular statement, compiled from the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, of the imports of raw silk into the United States in two years, as follows:

PENNSYLVANIA ANTHRACITE COAL TRADE FOR 1852.

In relation to the coal trade for the season of 1852, the Philadelphia Ledger says: The Anthracite coal trade now possesses general interest, and everything relating to it comes home to the fireside of nineteen-twentieths of the community. The consumption of 1851 ran so far ahead of all former experience, that the market was barely supplied; though the united energies of all the coal districts were taxed to nearly their full working capacity. The increased production of 1851 over 1850 was a million of tous; and of this we may say every ton was consumed. This increase, we have reason to believe, is due to a general increase of activity in manufacturing, steam traveling, and domestic uses, which is not going to fall off, but rather shows marked signs of steady progression. Should the market require the same proportionate increase for 1852, one-and-a-quarter millions of tons additional must be provided. But suppose that, instead of 30 per cent the increase of last year, we assume that 20 per cent increase is all that will be required, (and this will not certainly be overrating it,) then we shall want from the Anthracite coal mines of Pennsylvania 860,000 tons more than last year's supplies-making an aggregate of five-and-a-quarter millions of tons. The capacity of our several Anthracite coalfields may be set down nearly as follows. In fact, we give pretty much their own figures.

QUARTZ MINING IN CALIFORNIA.

[FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO HERALD.]

Our readers must have lately seen by the reports from the mining regions that many of the quartz mining companies formed a few months since, have had to suspend operations, from various causes, which it is our intention now to analyze, and at the same time to offer our own opinions upon the way how such failures may in future be avoided. All are satisfied of one thing, that the quartz mines are sufficiently numerous and rich to give an opportunity for a vast amount of capital to be profitably employed; but that a greater amount of caution is requisite, before commencing operations, than in any other kind of legitimate trading or speculation, and in a great measure to the absence of this caution is the indifferent success to be traced.

A party of miners, who have succeeded in extracting some few thousand dollars from the ordinary river and ravine washing, turn their attention to quartz. A location is found, a shaft sunk, rich ore taken out and assayed, and claims staked and recorded. One of the party, who knows probably little or nothing about machinery, is sent down to San Francisco to procure it. The machinery is bought, paid for, sent up, erected, and operations are commenced, and all concerned are rejoicing at their good fortune and building aerial castles about the wealth to be derived. A short time elapses and it is found that the ore which has been assayed and turned out from 12 to 40 cents to the pound will not yield over 3 to 5 cents, and at last gives out altogether. The machinery is then stoped, and for the first time they begin to think and calculate upon the reasons of their non-success. Could any reasonable person have expected otherwise? Experience in every gold-bearing country shows that unless the miner be a practical man and one blessed with the "bump" of caution, success cannot be arrived

at.

But to sum up the causes of the partial failure in this country in few words, we will simply state that they are caused-First, from the owners of claims not having ascertained the richness of the lead by sinking several shafts at different distances, and thus first making certain that there be an extent of richness sufficient to justify an expenditure upon machinery; secondly, from the imperfect and useless machinery employed. To crush to a great fineness, to an impalpable powder, is one of the chief things, but the chief is to have in a more perfect state your amalgamating process. Too many here have founded an opinion without any previous knowledge of such mining and acted upon it, even against the advice tendered to them by Mexicans and Chilians, who have, as it were, been brought up in the mines; and so to blind obstinacy may a great deal of the loss be attributed. Another, but a minor reason, may be traced to the quicksilver not being so pure as it ought to be, as it is well known that the slightest particle of grease will prevent it from acting properly.

And now, to avoid failure and to make almost certain of success, it will at once be seen by the foregoing, that the miner should act with the utmost caution. He should be cautious in tracing his "lead" to an extent to give ample working room; he should be cautious not to trust too much to his own opinion; he should be particularly careful to collect the best information upon the amalgamating process, and exceedingly cautious in his choice of it; and with this exercise of caution in the mines of California, with ample means to "prospect" perfectly and put up good machinery, there cannot be a doubt that greater fortunes will accrue from it than from any other mineral lands in the world. The great drawback to the quartz miner is a too limited supply of funds. $40,000 to 50,000 expended, a greater portion in prospecting (if required) and the balance in putting up machinery and setting the ball in motion, must insure a greater per centage return than any smaller sum, if the money be in proper hands.

MANUFACTURE OF SPIRITS IN SCOTLAND.

There has just been printed in a parliamentary paper some account with respect to spirits in Scotland. In 1840 the quantity of spirits made in Scotland from unmalted grain numbered 2,298,962 gallons, and from malt only 6,522,568 gallons. The revenue derived from malt only in that year, used for making spirits, was £236,903 0s. 7d. There were 117 distillers manufacturing malt spirits, 10 distillers making spirits from malt and grain at different periods. In 1851 there were 4,315,151 gallons made from unmalted grain in Scotland and 5,724,543 from malt only. The revenue derived from malt used in making spirits was £214,543 0s. 10d. The total number of distillers in Scotland in the same year was 164.