1835.] Calico- Printing. 19 



base ; or, it is sometimes obtained from the yellow chro- 

 mate of lead, produced from the bichromate of potash, by 

 abstracting a portion of its acid in hot lime-water. 



To be continued. 



Article II. 



A Journey in Spain. By M. F. Le Play. (Abridged 

 from the Annals des Mines, torn, v.) 



Spain presents numerous points of interest to the man of 

 science, but in proportion as this fact has been gradually 

 developing, so has the political state of events in that un- 

 fortunate land increased the difficulties of investigation. It 

 appears, however, unquestionable, that the obstacles to 

 travelling, at least on the thoroughfares of Spain, (as from 

 Bayonne to Cadiz, where the route is as fine as any on the 

 continent) have been greatly exaggerated. 



Spain was anciently celebrated for its mineral riches. 

 Pliny speaks of lead, tin, iron, copper, silver, gold, and 

 mercurial mines, which were all in activity, but were relin- 

 quished towards the termination of the Empire of Rome. 

 The Moors explored numerous mines, in the east of the 

 Peninsula, but on their expulsion these sources of wealth 

 were entirely abandoned. Spain still bears on its surface 

 permanent marks of the energy with which the improve- 

 ments introduced from the east were overturned. When 

 the traveller demands the cause of the innumerable ruins 

 and abandoned mines which cannot fail to attract his atten- 

 tion, he learns that these desolating catastrophies occurred 

 at the expulsion of the Moors. As a finishing blow to 

 Spanish industry, the Kings of Spain in the fifteenth cen- 

 tury,issued an interdict against working the Peninsular 

 mines for the purpose of encouraging those of America. 

 The mercurial mines of Almada alone were in operation ; 

 because, their product was necessary for the extraction of 

 the precious metals in New Spain. The quantity sent from 

 thence annually, amounted to 6000 quintals. Towards the 

 middle of last century the mine of Huancavelika in Peru, 

 which had previously supplied the greatest part of the 



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